


Sunny Skies Ahead

by Ourliazo



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: BOSS Lal, Beast Mode Fon, Colonnello is normal (thank God), Fon is a monster, Gen, Interpol! Skull, Possessive Guardians, Pre-Arcobaleno Curse, Pre-Canon, Protective Skull, Reborn is sick of your shit, Sick-fic?, Skull is too enthusiastic about this Mafia buisness, Sky! Reborn, Stalker Verde, The Adventures of Reborn and His Dipshit Guardians, Verde is a bad person, Viper owns a strip club, really just awful Guardians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2020-09-15 09:15:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 36,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20293858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ourliazo/pseuds/Ourliazo
Summary: Reborn is not yet the world's greatest hitman, not quite a proper Sky, and definitely doesn't want these ridiculous Guardians that he keeps running into.





	1. Calm down, Fon.

Reborn is pretty sure the poor man is lost. Standing halfway up the street, a Chinese man in a long red tunic with wide sleeves is looking around with a confused frown on his face. He's holding a map, constantly looking from the paper to peer up at the street signs, his long braid of black hair swaying with the motion.

Reborn thinks about walking past but apparently he's feeling altruistic today because something makes him step out of the light flow of traffic down the sidewalk to instead join the lost tourist where he stands at the display window of a bakery.

"Can I help you?" Reborn asks.

The tourist blinks at Reborn, taking in the slim cut suit and fedora combo. Maybe he can't speak Italian, or he's been scared off by Reborn's stature, but the tourist doesn't say anything. He does smile though, a calming and aloof expression.

Reborn's not getting fooled by that; this man is clearly lost.

"我可以帮你吗?" Reborn tries.

"No need for that," the tourist says in lightly accented Italian, his smile growing. "My apologies, I was a bit distracted when you walked up."

"I might be able to point you in the right direction if you need," Reborn offers.

The tourist looks a bit reticent even though the serenity never falls away. "Um, yes," the young man finally says. "Could tell me where the Divinitia famiglia's auction is held, Mr Reborn?"

Reborn laughs before he can stop himself. He's well known, a step away from being the best, but he's still only barely an adult. "No need for the 'mister'." He turns to point down the street in the direction he's heading for as well. "Down there, fourth right at Huntingdale street and keep walking for another ten minutes. The auction house is very gaudy, you can't miss it."

The man -probably Triad- looks down at the map and tries to place it but looks a bit confused still. Reborn leans over as well to peer at the map, immediately spotting a problem. Reborn reaches out to turn the map the right way up.

Their fingers brush and something sparks.

The beginnings of a strong bond - perfect soul mates.

A Sky and a Storm Guardian.

Reborn casually turns the map around and sticks it back into the man's lax grip. "There you go," Reborn says. "Just follow the road, turn at Huntingdale and you'll be fine." Reborn then steps out onto the street to wave down a passing taxi, desperately hoping he can run before the man recovers.

"Please wait," the Storm calls out softly, tucking the map into his sleeve and stepping off the curb after Reborn. "My name is Fon."

The hitman slams the cab door shut. "_Drive_!" he barks out at the cabbie.

The driver rolls his eyes but steps down on the accelerator. They loop around the corner and Reborn breathes a sigh of relief when the Storm is left behind in the side mirror. He buckles himself in and leans back into the seat as he tampers down the weakly reaching Sky flames with an oppressive amount of Sun until anything so much as vaguely matching an orange hue is snuffed out.

Reborn slumps down, embarrassed at showing someone such pathetic flames. His Sky can barely be manifested and it's so ugly and weak. How is Reborn supposed to become the world's greatest hitman if people know he has such disgusting Sky flames under his beautiful, powerful Sun?

A flash of red catches Reborn's attention and he sits up just in time to see the Storm abruptly step out of an alleyway ahead, having cut straight across the block with this shortcut, and walk right onto the road in front of the car. The cabbie breaks hard but it's too late and the car slams into the Storm going forty an hour.

This Fon motherfucker doesn't so much as rock from the impact.

Airbags deploy as the back of the car flips up at the sudden halt, Fon taking the entire weight on to his palms, bracing warped metal concaved in the shape of his hands. With a deep, terrifying _roar_, the car is launched backwards into the air.

The back corner on Reborn's side hits the ground first and the car slams down onto its side, the hitman's window shattering as the door is punched in. It skids back and hits a curb which finally makes it land on the roof and stop.

Reborn's side is facing the monster who just challenged a fucking car and then won.

Reborn shoves at the airbag and scrambles to grab his hat where it managed to hook onto the headrest after falling off his head. At a quick glance the driver is unconscious but not dead. Reborn shoots the airbag to deflate it, unbuckles himself so he falls onto the roof and then crawls out of the shattered window.

He staggers up, hand on the car's front wheel to brace himself as Fon comes closer. Reborn fires but the first bullet is disintegrated with Storm flames.

_This is ridiculous!_ Reborn has never actually fought someone from the Triads before but this _thing_ is clearly some kind of monster. Yeah, maybe a Lightning with their full body hardened with flames could take on a car going thirty an hour at most, and just maybe a Storm could disintegrate a bullet if it wasn't being shot at them, but what the actual fuck is this bullshit?!

Reborn can't use his Chaos Shot – no one has seen it and lived to gossip so he can't just give away his secret technique like this. Reborn is not nearly desperate enough, although he's quickly reaching that threshold.

"Go away," Reborn demands, gun steady where it's pointing at the Storm. If it's point blank then even this monster can't avoid it. "I am not in the mood right now."

Fon is still smiling. "May I please talk to you privately, Reborn?"

Reborn makes a run for it. Fon lunges but his hand brushes past Reborn's side as the hitman sprints off. Reborn frowns when he sees Fon right behind him in the reflection of a store window and holsters his gun, narrowing his focus.

Between one step and the next Reborn's body is flooded with Sun flames, pushing his body past human limits, making his uncovered skin glow gold. Reborn's foot hits the ground and the world falls away in a blur as he rushes past.

Something like this can't last for long. It's too much strain on his muscles going this fast, something inside feeling like it's cracking because he definitely pushed too far. Reborn's legs finally give out only a few minutes later and the world comes back into sharp focus when he collapses on the sidewalk – already halfway across the city.

He gasps into the cold and rough pavement, heart about to beat out of his chest as his body trembles with a sharp pain radiating out. He has no idea where he is, but the busy street can't be heard anymore so hopefully he's far enough that the monster can't find him before Reborn recovers.

Reborn is honestly not sure if the risk of a heart attack is worth it. Nice to know his theory works though, super great that the technique is viable - not that Reborn will ever subject himself to this pain again.

Heavy footsteps -maybe boots- come to a stop just before Reborn's head as a shadow falls over him. Reborn tries to push himself up but he can barely move his fingers and his vision is blurring at the edges. The stabbing pain is slowly fading but it's being replaced by a dead numbness.

"You came out of nowhere," the stranger says gleefully and crouches down beside Reborn. "Shit, mate, that's some superpower stuff right there. Was that teleporting?"

Reborn feels the man lean even closer.

"You know," the man begins, trying to whisper but he's still so damn loud. "I have powers too. I heal so fast, like I'm immortal!"

Awesome. He just had to be found by some moron still angsty over not getting his Hogwarts letter.

"Were you, like, running from bad guys? I bet you can't go to a hospital or they'll find you." The man says this happily as he grabs Reborn and starts moving the hitman around. "Don't worry, you can come home with me."

_Please no_, Reborn tries to say but he's still wheezing and far more worried about having a heart attack. It comes out as a grunt, which the man seems to take as permission to manhandle Reborn some more.

Reborn is carried in a fireman's lift, managing to see purple and literally nothing else. The freak is covered head to toe in leather and chains. Reborn can't see his whole face from this angle but there's a lot of makeup and piercings.

Reborn is being kidnapped right now and he's going to be eaten or something. Maybe, if Reborn is really lucky, he'll be already dead before this freak takes the first bite.

They stop at a sleek, low set car that only people who don't pay taxes can afford and probably goes zero to sixty in the time it takes you to blink, then the freak actually unlocks the beautiful car and drops Reborn into the passenger seat. The freak smiles brightly like a child given candy and buckles Reborn in while humming something that sounds like bubbly death metal.

This is just not Reborn's day.

Reborn tries very hard to stay awake but his body aches and the adrenaline is all gone now so he passes out before he can see what kind of house he'll be trapped in the basement of.

Maybe he should have just taken his chances with the monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did imagine the Reborn as the Flash, except instead of being struck by lightning he was licked by a radioactive lizard to get his powers.
> 
> So how do you like the story so far?


	2. Skull, just stop.

Skull very gently puts the man on his bed since he doesn't have a guest bedroom. He converted it into an aquarium actually, but that's fine, his own bed will do.

Skull places the hat that fell off on the nightstand and debates on what to do now. He should call his manager since he'll be going on an adventure soon, then he needs to start packing.

The handsome man looks pretty out of it so Skull has time before they go save the world. Skull tilts his head and decides to be extra nice, so he starts taking the man's clothes off. It's probably uncomfortable to sleep in a full suit.

Skull starts with the shoes and works his way up. He leaves the pants on because if the bad guys burst in then he doesn't want the man too undressed. Skull pauses after opening the jacket and wonders if this is a spy movie because those are definitely guns.

Skull struggles a bit with the last few pieces of clothing. The jacket comes off but the leather gun holster is two loops around the man's arms, connected at the back by a thick strap across the shoulder blades and lies tight against the man's body with a sleek looking handguns pressed against his ribs on each side.

Skull plays with the weapons for a bit when he finally manages to get it off, trying out some cool one-liners in the mirror, but refocuses after. He takes the tie off next and then decides the man looks flushed.

Wet towel? Sure. Sounds about right. Skull takes his gloves off and grabs a handtowel to soak it under the tap before laying it over the man's forehead.

Skull jerks his hands back when he feels something like static electricity from touching the man's bare skin. Skull only freaks out more when he sees purple fire flicker to life on his fingers where he touched the man.

Skull tries to quickly pat the flames out on his stomach but it doesn't go away. Skull looks around frantically and then just touches the man's face again, hoping it works like an on/off switch.

It goes out and warmth seeps into Skull through his hands and up his arms, soothing and soft like hugs. Skull pulls back and the fluffy feeling is dampened but doesn't go away entirely. There's a strange sensation of…of _knowing_ the man is there, as if Skull is now hyper aware of him.

Skull likes it.

* * *

Reborn wakes up to the freak's face hovering over his, close enough that Reborn goes slightly cross-eyed. Reborn shoves the man away and jerks up in what is apparently a bed.

There's a heart-in-the-throat moment of panic when Reborn realises his guns have been taken away but finds his holster dropped on the floor at the foot of the bed with his other stripped off clothes.

"You're awake!" the freak chirps.

It reverberates strangely through Reborn. Reborn takes a deep breath and pretends he can't feel what…what may just be a….

His Sky flames are pathetically weak, suppressed under the immense weight of his Sun. There should have been no way to bond to anyone, such brittle flames can't support a Guardian bond.

Except it's not just his shallow puddle of Sky because Reborn's Sun flames are being converted and then funnelled through. It's not a real connection, barely felt even if Reborn concentrates, but it is the beginning of something.

No, Reborn refuses. Never mind, it doesn't count, Reborn wasn't awake.

"I need to go," Reborn chokes out. He clears his throat and continues smoothly. "I have business to attend to."

He slides off the bed and quickly dresses while the other man stands as well.

"Can I help?" the freak asks. "I'm a stuntman, you know! Super good with motorbikes!"

"I'll keep that in mind," Reborn murmurs as he put his fedora on last and then speed walks away.

The freak follows him to the door and watches with a very intense stare as Reborn heads for the train station.

"I'm Skull by the way!" the freak calls out.

Reborn never wants to see that psycho again.

* * *

After the seventh time Skull tracks Reborn down, Reborn finally admits that maybe he needs to address the…the bond-like issue (which is definitely not due to bonding) where Skull can apparently just feel where Reborn is, among other things.

"Skull," Reborn begins, grip tightening on his takeaway cup of espresso.

Skull shrinks back into the car seat but then pats the passenger side to invite Reborn in off the sidewalk. "You feel stressed so I came to help."

_You're the one making me stressed!_

Reborn manages something like a smile. "What did I say about the strange feelings you get?"

"Um," Skull mumbles sheepishly. "That they don't mean anything and I should ignore them and not follow you around."

"That's right," Reborn says encouragingly. "It was an experimental device and the..._agency_ is still working out some problems. I really am sorry you got involved in such government business but it's best to just let it go away on its own."

"I know," Skull says quietly but perks up soon after. "Have they said anything about hiring me yet?"

"Still deliberating," Reborn soothes. "We did a large batch of hiring just a month ago so it would be hard to fit anyone else in."

Skull nods along because this is the same answer as the last few times he asked. "Did you want a ride?"

"…Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tempted to make Skull think this is all 'government business' throughout the entire story and he just never realises he's in the Mafia.


	3. Really, Verde?

Reborn takes a sharp turn and shoves past two burly bouncers before lurching into the crowded bar and quickly trying to hide in the swaying dancefloor. He flicks a glance over his shoulder and sees red right before a massive bouncer is thrown backwards into the crowd.

"Oh fuck me," Reborn grumbles, ducking lower because he's rather tall and pulling off his hat to give the monster even less to identify him by.

"I certainly wouldn't mind," a woman in a tight silver dress purrs, rubbing up against Reborn's arm.

"Perfect," Reborn replies immediately with his voice all honey and sweet, sweeping her away through the crowd. "Let's go back to yours."

The woman seems surprised that Reborn is so easy but it's a happy surprise. This is about the time that the panic caused by the monster builds enough that even the drunkest patron is paying attention.

The woman looks over Reborn's shoulder at the commotion, wanting to peek, and Reborn immediately abandons his meat shield for not cooperating.

Reborn shoves through the people, stepping on some feet in his rush, but eventually bursts out the other side. He puts his hat back on, sneakily looks around, and tries to hide himself in the men's bathroom.

He hesitates when he opens the door to the single toilet. There's a broken beer bottle half hidden behind the toilet like someone sheepishly kicked it back there, plus some toilet paper scattered around, a suspicious puddle of something on the floor and a too small sink like it was an afterthought. Pretty basic.

Nothing else looks too out of place, cleaner that some places he's seen, but it still feels disgusting and Reborn doesn't want to go inside.

Reborn reacts too late, sensing the monster rush at him from behind. Reborn steps in and whirls around to slam the door shut. He gets it locked but the flimsy wood shatters and Reborn scrambles to the side when the rest of it breaks off and lands crookedly over the toilet.

The monster glides in, still with a God damned smile on his face, grabs Reborn by the upper arms and slams the hitman up against the wall.

"Consent is important," Reborn blurts out, his arms now pinned to his sides while his own hands grip at Fon's forearms uselessly.

Reborn dropped a gun when he jumped off that fire escape about three storeys too high, then used his second as a projectile when Fon suddenly appeared around a corner during hide and seek in the mall and Reborn got jump scared.

Fon appears taken aback. "Of course it's important."

"Well," Reborn says pointedly and starts tugging at Fon's sleeves. "I just so happen to not consent to your touching, so go ahead and put that resolve into practice anytime you feel like it."

Fon looks at Reborn like the hitman is so cute but so dumb. "This isn't that kind of consent issue."

"I firmly believe that consent should be mandated for all areas of life," Reborn responds seriously.

"Do people consent to you killing them?"

Reborn narrows his eyes. "We are talking _you_ right now, okay? Don't change the subject."

Fon's smile finally falls away and he looks at Reborn earnestly. "I just want to talk with you. I'm not going to hurt you, Reborn, I would never."

Fon is actually taking care to not have skin contact with Reborn, which would trigger the first bond link if their flames were also flared up, but still...

Reborn raises an eyebrow. "We are clearly experiencing two entirely different situations right now and - is that the police?"

Reborn is peering out of the doorway, so Fon turns to see and Reborn knees him in the dick. Fon winces but he does not go down and in fact leans heavier into Reborn to better pin the hitman.

"That was rude," Fon says somewhere very close to a growl, his hands tightening on Reborn's upper arms until the bones threaten to crack under his palms.

Reborn tries to kick at Fon's legs and struggle as much as he can in such a bad position but it gets him nowhere. Reborn is a long-distance fighter without a weapon, up against a close combat specialist who already has Reborn cornered.

"What happened to not hurting me?" Reborn spits out.

"Discipline doesn't count."

"Two-faced son of a _whore_, don't smile at me like that-"

A bouncer steps up to the threshold of the bathroom, already swinging a broken stool leg that looks like it might have been broken on his face judging by the damage there.

Fon shoves Reborn away, deeper into the bathroom, and steps up to catch the makeshift-bat in his hands, a foot striking out and throwing the bouncer to the ground with a quiet crack that might be the bouncer's ribcage shattering.

Fon drops the stool leg and turns back to the Sky, only to find leather shoes disappearing out of an open window.

* * *

Reborn takes a hard turn when he sees the lights go green and throws himself over the hood of one car before wrenching open the passenger side door and lurching inside. He slams the door shut and lashes out with a shard of glass he grabbed from the broken beer bottle in the bathroom, only stopping before he cuts into the man's throat.

"Go," Reborn snarls, the threat clear.

The driver does go but he doesn't look at Reborn or react in any way. Reborn gets the feeling that this day is about to get so much worse.

The driver fades away as well as the wheel and gear box and any kind of button or dial on the dashboard. The whole car smooths out to the point where even handles on the doors disappear when Reborn tries to get out.

He tries to break the window with his elbow, attempts to pry it open with the broken glass, and then twists around in his seat to try and kick it off but nothing works. The windows tint to black and the windshield lights up with a picture of Reborn while basic information on the hitman scrolls alongside it.

"You should put your seatbelt on," a deep male voice says in a flat tone from speakers that Reborn can't find. "When the gas knocks you out, I don't want you flopping everywhere."

"I would like to leave," Reborn answers calmly.

"How strange," the man hums. "You seemed so eager to throw yourself at me just a few moments ago."

Reborn already misses his monster.


	4. Put the needle down.

It's been an hour since the delivery and Verde is still sitting on his chair, slumped back with long legs stretched out in front of him.

He sparked. They sparked, a potential bond. Some hitman throws himself into Verde's car during a supply run for esters and they spark because Verde has a Sky.

Verde wants to keep him.

Keep him strapped to the dissection table, peel him open to see how the bond will react. Keep him in the observation room down a level, monitor everything. Keep him close, sample him every day for a holistic mass spectrometer analysis on Sky biomarkers.

Verde will need to build a new wing of the facility, somewhere nice where the Sky will be happy and let Verde run experiments on him. A lovely carbon fibre cage, airtight with methoxyflurane valves if Verde needs to make his Sky sleep.

His Sky.

Verde tries to justify it to himself; he'd keep his Sky anyway – it's not like he can buy one from slave traders, they're so rare. It would be stupid to let this chance pass him by.

Verde ignores the fact that he's already mentally engineering a nice personalised shock collar with some injectables like ketamine and his newest flame suppressant. He should make sure the cage has live camera feed from all angles, who knows what a man like Verde's Sky can do when distressed.

Ah, he already has so many experiments he wants to test. How long does it take for a Sun user to starve? Can a Sky maintain a normal mentality when completely isolated from any outside flames comforting them?

The computer monitors above the metal table where the Sky is strapped down beep quietly, indicating the drug levels in the man's blood have once more dropped below the necessary amount to keep Verde's Sky asleep. The hitman's Sun flames are very adaptable, flushing the drug through his system faster every time Verde adjusts the dosage.

That can be another experiment later, to see if his Sky can be oversaturated. At what point will a Sun user overdose? Would something like Heroin with its asphyxiation properties be more difficult to 'heal' or will something that targets a particular organ like the liver be more deadly? He'll think on it later.

Verde stands up and moves over to the table once more, checking the gas mask over the hitman's face and then reaching out to the touch screen to dial up the ratio.

He pauses. Why is he waiting? What part of this needs consideration? If Verde is bonded to his Sky, then he can run as many tests as he wants since the hitman would belong to him.

Verde dials up the ratio of knockout gas to oxygen and then gets to setting up the more precise equipment. He wants to monitor both himself and his Sky when activating the bond because he will probably never have this chance again.

Especially since the hitman is a dual user, Verde is very curious as to how the Sun flames will react. Is the hitman automatically his own Sun Guardian? Bonds work off similar flame frequencies, so it would make sense there would be no room for another Sun.

Verde pulls on gloves to attach the machines to his Sky, very careful about maintaining no skin contact. He drags over his chair next and sits own before attaching himself to an identical set of machines. Verde doesn't forget to take blood and tissue samples from them both, planning on comparing the before and after.

Verde sits for a while, observing his sleeping Sky. He pulls off a glove and hesitates for a fraction of a second before laying his hand over his Sky's.

Bright green Lightning flames flare up and sink into the hitman's skin. Nothing much happens really, it's just a weak initial bond, but something in the back of Verde's mind sits up and takes notice.

It takes far too long for Verde to rip himself away and take secondary samples. He starts running calibrations and prepping the samples but his eyes constantly flicker back to his hitman.

This Sky is already ruining Verde. Maybe it would be better to keep him at a distance.

A sudden alert for the front door startles him. When Verde checks the screens, a man in purple leather is holding a takeaway cup of coffee and childishly trying to peer through the camera, thinking it's a peephole.

Verde only now notices the faint Cloud flames he's sharing Reborn's Sky with.

* * *

Reborn wakes up in Skull's house again and screams into a pillow because he can feel that asshole's Lightning flames.

Skull rushes upstairs in worry at hearing Reborn's muffled distress. "You're awake! Can I get you anything? The tall nerdy man said your last mission went bad. Is he the tech guy? What went wrong? Did you shoot anyone? Did anyone shoot you?"

Reborn just looks at the Cloud for a long moment, having a hard time focusing since his system isn't quite clear of drugs. "Skull," Reborn murmurs, holding out a hand.

Skull trots over and flops onto the bed beside Reborn, linking fingers.

"You're good," Reborn coos, his free hand petting the other man's coarse hair. "You're so good, such a good Guardian."

Skull brightens up with a cute smile even though he has no idea what's going on, he just likes being praised.

Reborn is still pretty out of it from whatever Verde gave him, and a little nauseous at the bonds pulling in two different directions which is quickly turning into pain, and being close to Skull feels really nice…

"You're hired," Reborn says in a moment of stupidity that he will regret for the rest of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, Reborn, all your Guardians are freaks. Some cute Skull fluff next chapter though.


	5. I don't know him, I swear.

The core of the dying will flame is identical throughout the world; it's just a basis, a skeleton structure that can be built on and personalised. The shell is what changes depending on the person and their frequency. If you happen to match frequencies, then a bond forms, but a shell can be so varied between individuals that bonding is incredibly rare.

(Which makes it so damn ridiculous that Reborn found three in the space of a month without even having to leave Italy.)

People only have one collective flame centre inside them. It doesn't matter how many types of flame a person has, because the main storage is just shared between 'doorways', and only then does it get converted into different colours.

Reborn has immense Sun flames and the doorway to his flame storage can be opened wide to allow as much as possible through when necessary. Quite frankly, it is more power than he will ever need at one time.

In contrast, summoning his Sky flames takes too much time and too much energy because the doorway naturally formed as something jammed almost entirely shut. It can barely be opened and the flames have to squeeze through. It's inefficient. It shows itself as weak flickers, a pathetic flame.

When Reborn bonded to Skull he didn't quite realise the shift, not to mention he was unconscious at the time after being kidnapped by the purple freak.

Reborn's not very aware of his Sky flames, so when the doorway was forced open just a bit more, hinges bending unnaturally, it completely went over his head. The door jammed again in this new position, open slightly to supply enough flames to keep a bond going, weak as it was at the start.

Verde's bond broke something. The hinges were already strained and warped. It's not a crack anymore, something to peek through – the entire door just completely ripped off. It's too much power, constantly. Reborn can't close it, he can't hold everything in without hurting himself.

So he hurts himself.

Because the only other option is flooding the faint, newborn bonds and making them solidify. Like this, they can still be broken. Reborn is not giving up everything he's worked for just because these fuckers can't keep their hands to themselves. Reborn can still fix this clusterfuck before he gets dragged down and the world's greatest title becomes nothing but a desperate hallucination while he drowns in mediocrity.

So Reborn burns from the inside out.

Because at least it means he's not drowning.

* * *

Skull is happy because they're going to the beach today. Well, Skull is going to the beach and Reborn is going to kill his target then throw them into the ocean.

"Which is ridiculous," Skull is whining as they step into the train station. "I can do a triple backflip in my sleep, I wouldn't have messed up if I was on my normal bike. She's the one who wanted to promote the shitty Vespa in the first place!"

Reborn moves up to the (thankfully empty of people) ticket counter and starts flirting with the woman there. Skull stays quiet while they talk but impatiently shuffles around, bouncing on his feet so his backpack bounces too. He has swimwear for both of them inside because apparently anything but a briefcase would ruin Reborn's aesthetic, so Skull is the pack mule now.

"That train is just about to leave," the woman admits. "The next is only half an hour away if you can wait."

"We'll make it," Reborn says carelessly.

The woman looks sceptical but Reborn is too handsome to say no to.

As the woman searches around for the paper tickets, Skull flops forward, headbutting Reborn's shoulder. "So anyway, I stacked it and broke my neck to freak her out. She quit."

Reborn hands over a note to pay and glances sideways with a flat stare. "Yeah, your neck looks really broken."

Skull laughs. "Babe, I told you, I'm immortal."

Reborn hums and grabs the tickets. "Well, Skull, I hope you're also fast."

Reborn sprints off because the train is leaving in half a minute from the platform furthest away. Skull splutters and runs after the hitman. They weave through a crowd of people just getting off another train, Skull vaulting over a little boy and Reborn very deliberately splitting apart a young couple holding hands.

"Which number?!" Skull calls out, Reborn well ahead of him.

"Fourteen!" the hitman yells back.

Skull takes a sharp turn down platform six and then leaps off the edge, sprinting across the empty tracks before jumping back up onto seven. He slowly closes the distance between them because Reborn has to dodge the crowd of people milling about.

Skull darts into the waiting train at platform eight and bursts out the other side, diving over the gap onto nine just as that train pulls in, skimming his backpack.

Eleven to fifteen are later additions to the station so their placement is much further back, even if they are still parallel to the other platforms. Reborn has to turn and run down along the shop fronts but Skull just skips across the train tracks at ten and finds himself at the very start of eleven.

Reborn is faster but Skull had the shortcut so they turn down into platform fourteen at the same time, racing each other and the train that's already pulling away and gaining speed. Just as they catch up to the closest train door, Reborn ducks to the side in front of Skull and comes to a dead stop with a wicked smirk on his face.

Skull rams into the hitman's back and bounces off. Reborn staggers from the impact but still reaches for the metal bar near the train door, planning to quickly haul himself up and then watch as Skull gets left behind.

Skull manages to grab a fistful of Reborn's suit jacket even as the stuntman is falling so Reborn gets jerked off balance instead. He trips over an accidentally placed foot from Skull and tips backwards, fingers brushing the metal bar as he falls.

Skull hits the ground first and Reborn flops on top of him as the train leaves them behind.

Skull cracks up laughing, the sound half muffled in between Reborn's shoulder blades. "You dickhead! What was that?"

"Complete accident," Reborn says earnestly, which just makes him sound like he's lying. And he definitely is.

Reborn rolls off Skull and to his feet, made more difficult by Skull clinging to Reborn's waist. Skull gets dragged up with the hitman and doesn't let go even when Reborn shakes his hips to try and dislodge the leech.

"Get off," Reborn complains. "Security is here to drag you away and I don't want them to think we're friends."

Skull peeks out around Reborn's shoulder to find that, yep, station security did not like his shortcut. "Ride or die, senpai."

"Fuck no."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind me, just theorising about flame mechanics again.


	6. Fon, why do you hate me?

"Use a large sized mug," Reborn instructs.

The woman behind the counter looks confused. "An espresso only comes in shots."

"I know," Reborn reassures. "So do that repeatedly until it's a full sized drink."

"...I need to ask my manager."

Reborn waits patiently as the woman ducks away. This always happens at any new café he visits. Yes, he can take the caffeine. No, he won't die. Just pour the damn drink.

Another woman, presumably the manager, comes to the counter quickly and ask Reborn again to confirm before staring at the register in confusion for a long moment, trying to figure out what the price is going to be.

"Thank you," Reborn says happily as the manager hands him a number card for his table and he saunters off to find a nice seat near the window.

He gets three pages into his newspaper when a shadow falls over him.

"Would you like a drink?" Reborn offers.

"Surprise me," Verde replies, settling down into the chair opposite.

Reborn puts his newspaper on the table and goes up to the counter for Verde. The woman looks at him wearily and the manager starts to approach from the back until Reborn just orders a normal flat white.

They still look a bit mistrusting so Reborn smiles charmingly to distract them, then heads back to his table, hurrying a bit when he realises his drink has already been set down.

"You are not a part of Interpol," Verde states before Reborn even sits in his chair.

"No," Reborn agrees in confusion. "Why would I be?"

He takes a sip of his espresso under Verde's intense stare and tries to discern if anything has been added to his drink by the scientist. He can't tell, but it should be fine since his Sun flames can burn through most things, and there's only so much poison Verde can put in the drink anyway.

Verde opens and then closes his mouth. "Your Cloud. Our Cloud, he asked if I was working as an agent."

Reborn's lips twitch up.

Verde frowns. "It was very vague." His eyes narrow. "Did I...get tricked into giving you to him?"

"Skull actually scared you with that?" Reborn scoffs.

"Of course I was wary!" Verde snaps. "I thought you might have had the entire Interpol behind you! Or at the very least you were a Sky being raised for a new famiglia."

"Skull thinks I'm some kind of James Bond spy," Reborn admits with amusement. "I've even told him my code name is triple-oh-R!"

Verde grits his teeth as Reborn chuckles. "Well, now that I'm aware, I won't be handing you over so easily next time."

Reborn smirks and raises his coffee in toast. "Good luck catching me again. I was off my game from meeting Monster."

"Monster?"

Reborn hums. "I'm surprised you haven't caught sight of him prowling around Italy. Kind of hard to miss a beast like that trying to act human."

Verde's eyes flicker for a moment before he calms. "You're no longer protected by the Cloud's lie so you've invented another threat to keep me in line."

Reborn leans forward. "Believe what you will, but you'll know if you ever see it." Reborn pulls back yet keeps his voice low. "Don't run, the Monster likes to chase."

Reborn takes a sip and another customer chooses this exact moment to back up into Reborn's chair, jolting him and making Reborn splash some coffee on his shirt.

The man turns around to apologise and gets Reborn's icy stare. "Oh."

"Thank you," Reborn states firmly, one hand already tucked into his suit jacket to caress the cold metal of a handgun. "You can go now."

The man stumbles the rest of the way out of the shop, walking sideways so he doesn't show his back to the hitman.

Verde raises an eyebrow and offers a tissue from the stack on the table. Reborn takes it, half-heartedly attempts to blot at the wet patch, and then just sets his drink down to head to the bathroom.

"It's not that bad," Verde points out as the hitman stands up.

"I have higher standards," Reborn sneers.

Clearly higher than Verde, who looks like he slept in those clothes for the past two nights, not to mention the suspicious stains all over his lab coat. Does this man even shave? Look at that stubble, disgraceful.

Reborn weaves through tables towards the back corner of the shop, near the counter. He pushes open the door to the men's and glances around the three-stall bathroom. It's empty, tolerably clean. He ducks into a stall to grab some toilet paper so he can wet it at the sink.

He pauses for a moment when a wave of vertigo hits him hard. He braces a hand against the wall and waits until the room stabilises under his feet. He tells himself it's from whatever drug Verde slipped him, but the spikes of burning heat from his flames says differently.

It feels a bit like heartburn, trying to reel back and compress all the flames that are trying to escape through the two bonds he has now. Maybe if Reborn leaves it alone, his flames will fix themselves. Maybe Reborn will keep being an idiot and he'll explode from the build-up, who knows?

Reborn steps out of the stall and Fon punches him in the stomach so hard Reborn folds over the man's arm and throws up.

"Good morning," Fon greets.

Reborn scrambles to grab the martial artist's long sleeve so he doesn't collapse. The wad of toilet paper falls out of his hand, landing in the small puddle of espresso and bile - because Reborn has not had anything else today.

"Why?" Reborn groans. "Why would you ... so rude."

"Who is that man you were sitting with?" Fon asks casually.

Reborn straightens up slowly, the muscles in his stomach still twitching with pain, and steps back with arms hugging his abdomen protectively. "Are you on medication? I think you need to be on medication."

Fon tilts his head to the side and smiles in a ditzy manner.

Reborn slumps sideways against the stall's door. "Find me a mop and bucket."

"I'll take care of it," Fon dismisses.

Reborn frowns at the mess. "It's gross."

Fon actually laughs at that. "I've seen far worse. I caused it, I'll deal with the consequences."

"Okay, well." Reborn starts edging to the side. "I'll just go then, shall I?"

Except Fon is blocking the stall so Reborn can't leave.

"The man you were sitting with," Fon begins. "He put something in your drink. Unless it's very fast acting you should be okay with just throwing it up, but perhaps you should visit a doctor to be certain."

Reborn stares at Fon for a long moment. "I'm a Sun."

"And a very lovely Sky as well," Fon agrees readily.

"I. Am a Sun. _Why do you think I can't handle a simple poison?!_"

Fon folds his hands into his sleeves and takes a moment to contemplate this, as apparently the thought hadn't occurred to him before Reborn pointed it out. "I assumed your Sun secondary wouldn't be strong enough-"

"I'm primarily Sun," Reborn cuts in. "Sky is my weak secondary."

Fon's eyebrows furrow in confusion because that's not common -in fact he has never heard of a Sky secondary- but before he can ask further questions the door swings open, Verde stepping through.

The scientist glances between Reborn, Fon and the vomit, quickly coming to the right conclusion. "The bond says you feel embarrassed and distressed."

Reborn genuinely doesn't know who pisses him off more between these two. "Does it also tell you about the anger? Because I'm feeling pretty angry right now."

Fon turns to take in the newcomer, his usual smile slipping away. "I suppose you must be the Lightning."

Verde hums. "You don't sound very impressed. So stupid you don't even know your betters."

Fon raises a sleeve to his mouth, eyes narrowing above the red sea of cloth. "A skinny branch I could snap in half with a finger isn't much to be impressed by."

Reborn vaults over the side of the stall and runs. He's not waiting for these territorial shitheads to finish their posturing and band together against him.

* * *

Skull trots over to his front door as the doorbell chimes fade away and pulls it open, a bright grin lighting up his face when he sees Reborn. Skull opens his arms to demand a hug and Reborn flops over the stuntman.

"I thought Cloud's were supposed to be the worst," Reborn mutters into Skull's coarse hair. "God forbid I ever meet my Rain, they'll be some berserker cannibal at the rate I'm going."

Skull frowns. "Are cannibals a thing I need to be worried about?"

Reborn sighs. "Do you think my potential weathers awful because I'm an awful person?"

"The fact that you're not answering me is concerning," Skull admits. He looks around the street, almost dislodging Reborn. "Is that why you felt bad earlier? Cannibals?"

Reborn blinks, slowly. "Compared to everyone else, you're pretty great. Which is kind of sad when I think about it because you kidnapped me once."

Skull drags Reborn inside and locks the front door after them. "Get the back door, I'll shut the windows." He darts off.

Reborn sighs again, heavier this time. "I think I'll just go home."

Skull pokes his head out from around the corner. "I made brownies?"

Reborn hesitates. "I'll take one and then go."

"And my new Aston Martin arrived."

Reborn spends the entire day at Skull's place because he is a weak, weak man.


	7. How did you even get here, Skull?

Reborn stops walking when he hears the roar of an engine. He spots something low set and bright purple racing down the other side of the road, so he gives a little wave even though he can't see Skull through the darkened glass of the car.

Wheels screech as the car whips around in a sudden U-turn, just barely missing the back of an SUV passing by, and comes to a stop just beside the curb Reborn is standing on in a perfect parallel park between a Mercedes and a Toyota.

The window rolls down and Skull stares up at Reborn with wide eyes. "The Mafia are trying to kill two of our agents, we need to help them!"

That's cute, Reborn thinks. Skull wants to roleplay a little rescue mission.

The back window rolls down and a shaken woman in a business suit holds out her Interpol badge as proof. There's also a man sitting next to her, holding one of Skull's jackets over his thigh to staunch the bleeding.

"The Urlare famiglia is chasing us," the police officer says, her voice surprisingly even considering her ruffled appearance. "We have recorded evidence of their Don admitting to drug trafficking, but our backup is being stalled by their allied Ostruire famiglia." She meets Reborn's eyes, determined. "We can't let them continue ruining people's lives."

What.

How is this a thing? Where did Skull even find these people? If Reborn isn't careful his Cloud is actually going to join the police and it's going to be really awkward telling him the truth after all that.

"Sure," Reborn says anyway. "Sounds fun."

* * *

Reborn sits with his chair further back than Skull's when the Interpol Head of Investigation and Head of Intelligence thank them for their quick and thorough work. Reborn killed a lot of people during that ambush (and the subsequent car chase) so he's trying to not attract too much attention.

No one has questioned their fake IDs that Reborn whipped up when he was restocking his ammo, Skull attending to the two officers and their injuries downstairs. Skull thinks Reborn is an undercover spy so he's not reacting to the fact that no one knows Reborn here.

Reborn is just a little incredulous about the fact that he hasn't been arrested yet. He hasn't even tried to hide, still in his usual suit. He knows for a fact that he's on the Interpol most wanted list, so either these people are all incompetent or they're putting up with his murder spree because he's doing their dirty work.

Judging by the occasional wary glace from the Head of Intelligence it might be the latter.

Reborn swallows a few times when an itchy sensation starts in the back of his throat. Skull turns to him and he smiles, nodding along. The Cloud goes back to gesturing wildly and making little 'pew, pew' sounds with finger guns as he explains the breaking and entering portion of their little adventure.

Reborn clears his throat but it quickly turns into a cough that he politely raises the back of his hand for. The Head of Intelligence pours him a glass of water and Reborn murmurs a thank you to her while Skull makes loud car noises.

The Head of Response seems positively enthralled by the storytelling, along with the two police officers sitting further down the meeting table -despite them actually living through it- and Reborn thinks it's a little cute.

He sips at the water but quickly sets it down when a coughing fit takes over him. Something wet splatters against the back of his hand and he grabs his handkerchief from inside his suit jacket, covering his mouth with it and subtly wiping off his hand at the same time.

Everyone gives him a concerned look but he waves them off and hastily leaves the room, his throat starting to get sore from all the coughing. Once in the hallway, he ducks into the bathroom further along despite the new and very much proven fear that Fon will ambush him inside.

Reborn sucks in a shaky breath and swallows thickly, moving to the side as a man exits. It's quite a large bathroom, empty now. Reborn waits but the coughing seems to have stopped so he lowers his handkerchief. The sunflower yellow cloth has turned red.

Reborn throws it into the nearby bin and pretends he didn't see it. It's fine, it'll be fine.

Reborn barely makes it to a sink before another coughing fit overtakes him. He clasps a hand over his mouth as he hunches forward and shakes from the force of it. Blood spurts out from between his fingers and splatters onto the pristine white sink.

He coughs until he becomes lightheaded and thinks he'll pass out from lack of oxygen, but it abruptly subsides. Reborn gasps, wheezing as his body finally settles down, clutching at the sink so hard his fingers have turned white.

His throat feels like he just swallowed shards of glass and his chest is compressed with a strange pressure that aches. He slowly pulls the hand away from his mouth, trembling fingers covered in blood.

This...can't be because of his flames. A flame injury shouldn't have this kind of effect on the body. Right? Reborn can feel like he's dying but he won't actually die, okay? Maybe it's something Verde gave him – or he probably ate something weird.

Blood drips from his hand and adds to the droplets scattered over the sink.

Fuck, Reborn is dying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To any of you reading in Australia, I hope you're safe from the bushfires. 
> 
> I suppose the good news is there's not much left of the country that's green enough to burn, so it should calm down soon. Give koalas some of your water if they come up to you, donate to the RFS if you can, and definitely stay cool this summer.


	8. Bitch, you're ugly.

"I thought you didn't work for Interpol," Verde says.

Reborn clutches his shirt to his bare chest and looks around the changing room as Verde's voice takes over the classical violin solo playing over the speakers. Verde's voice must only be in the changing rooms because Reborn can still hear violin playing in the main area of the store.

"Do you have cameras in here?" Reborn asks in confusion.

"The manager is sad and lonely," Verde explains. "I'm just hitch hiking."

"Could you not?"

"Do you work for the police?" Verde demands. "Why did you kill the Urlare Don?"

"I work for whoever pays me more," Reborn huffs. He quickly redresses back into his original shirt and jacket, leaving the new suit he wanted to buy still hanging from a hook on the wall. "Where's the camera?"

"Left. More. Up."

Reborn squints through a gap in the metal bouquet decoration and finds something reflect back at him. He rips the entire thing right out of the wooden backing with a loud crack, nails and all.

"Is our Cloud Interpol?" Verde asks.

Reborn holds up the metal decoration as he steps out of the changing room only so Verde can perfectly see his eyeroll. "Skull just gets into places he really shouldn't."

The manager is already hurrying over since Reborn was not quiet when he ripped the flowers out of the wall.

"Is this camera yours?" Reborn asks because it's always good to fact check.

"What are you - no. No." The man shakes his head too sharply, speech too rapid. He reaches for the flowers desperately. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave, and you'll be paying for the damages-"

Reborn smashes the decoration over the man's head and takes great pleasure in doing it again to the fallen man's handsome face. The manager is certainly not better than Reborn's breathtaking visage of course, but he's passable and there's something about destroying pretty things that makes Reborn happy.

"You're doing this in broad daylight in a crowded shopping mall," Verde points out, now coming from the speakers in the main area above Reborn.

"I'm not going to kill him," Reborn dismisses, tossing the flowers away with a tinny clatter. "He's not going to say anything either if he wants to keep his head."

The manager is not moving, bleeding heavily on the floor. There are no other sales assistants or security cameras in the shop right now so Reborn just smoothes out his suit, steps over the manager and strolls away.

"You are definitely Mafia," Verde mutters. "Why don't you just kill the Monster rather than playing coy?" Verde sounds upset so the two definitely didn't have a fun time after Reborn ran out.

Reborn wants to ask what happened but pretends he didn't hear Verde instead, because he doesn't want to admit that he did try to kill Fon, and that it did not go well for him.

Still haven't tried a Chaos Shot though.

Unfortunately, thinking of Fon makes Reborn think of the colour red and the fact that -_maybe_\- Reborn might -_possibly_\- be dying of too much fire.

Holding it all in because God forbid someone slap a 'Sky' label on him like he's good for nothing but looking pretty sitting on a throne, batting his eyelashes at some 'well-bred' Guardian to do his dirty work as if Reborn's body count isn't already in the thousands.

"Verde," Reborn says, pausing just at the door of the shop.

"Hn?"

Reborn purses his lips. "Send a car over."

* * *

"I do like this place," Reborn muses, perching on a stool and rolling himself over to a bench with an array of glass equipment in sealed plastic bags. "I'm a mathematician, did you know?"

Verde is slumped back in a chair next to a wall full of monitors, arms crossed, and a frown firmly etched into his face. "What do you want?"

Reborn spins himself around and pushes off again, rolling over to Verde until they bump chairs, sitting right beside each other and looking out over the large room. "Why do you want a Sky?"

"To experiment on," Verde immediately answers.

"Oh?" Reborn glances sideways at the taller man. "You'd tie yourself to a stranger, die with them, just to get a lab rat?"

The overhead lights catch on Verde's glasses as he turns to Reborn. After a moment of silence the scientist looks away.

Reborn smirks. "I'm flattered."

"What do you want?" Verde asks again.

Reborn shrugs. "I figure … we're stuck together now." He drops his gaze to his own knees. "You did help me distract Fon, and back at the shop too, so I suppose I owe you a little experiment."

Verde raises an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Non-invasive," Reborn demands, straightening up. "No weird drugs, no tying me up somewhere. Just, I don't know, give me something to put my flames into and you can study that."

Verde hums. "Okay, now tell me what you actually want."

Reborn blinks. "Do you not want my flames-"

Verde stomps on the foot rest of Reborn's chair and shoves the hitman back so he can twist to fully face Reborn.

"You're suspicious," Verde interrupts. "I can feel something dark and ugly through the bond."

"Ugly?" Reborn retorts sharply, the congenial mask falling away as his expression twists into a snarl. "You drugged and kidnapped me, I cut out two monitoring chips from my stomach, you sick Frankenstein _fuck_. Tell me again who's ugly, I dare you."

Verde pushes up his glasses.

Reborn takes a deep breath. "Make me something to take excess flames and we can negotiate on an experiment."

"Do three without question."

"I can rip off your legs, Verde, and then put them right back on just to _do it all over again_, let's not forget which one of us makes a career out of killing people."

"You clearly need me-"

"There are other people I can go to," Reborn cuts in with a sneer. "Not as smart or as fast but they'll get the job done."

Verde scoffs. "Will they perfect it before whatever this is overtakes you?"

Reborn smirks. "I have never been afraid of death," he says with a morbid humour in his tone. "I am looking for other options simply because I don't give up without a fight but don't mistake me for someone who is scared of his own trade."

Verde takes a long moment to consider this. "We negotiate two experiments."

"Deal. Have it ready by next week." Reborn slides to his feet and walks away.

"There is no one," Verde calls out. "No one you can go to, who is even remotely at my level. Don't insult me like that again."

Reborn flips him off over a shoulder.


	9. Who's a good Guardian boy? You are!

It doesn't work, is the thing. Reborn doesn't have good control to push his flames inside the cube Verde made him and they just don't want to co-operate regardless.

Sun flames radiate. Even in his sleep Reborn is putting out flames, any plants near his bed growing roots strong enough to shatter a vase and twisting to reach him, blooming flowers creeping through the window.

If Reborn sits on a park the bench leaves will turn to him and it feels like staring eyes. Sometimes they whisper things. Sometimes Reborn listens.

Sky flames are lot more solid, much like Storm or Lightning, with the other end of that spectrum being the gaseous Mist and Rain. Reborn needs to focus and channel, but nothing wants to go outwards – it wants to sink in, tunnel through the two early bonds and solidify into what feels like a noose.

Reborn doesn't know why people celebrate bonding as if it's some holy experience because it feels pretty shit so far. Skull is the closest to achieving a complete connection and Reborn just feels awkwardly bloated.

Maybe he's not doing this right.

Well, _clearly_ he's not doing this right but the point still stands.

Skies always talk about not being whole, missing pieces and feeling empty until they find their Guardians. Reborn is perfectly fine, thank you, no jigsaws here. Which means that Skull and Verde have crammed themselves into place where bonds definitely should not go. (Being around Verde makes Reborn's foot itch a little, from the tiny static shocks at his heel.)

Reborn, in the privacy of his own mind, realises that the channel of flames that link a Sky to their Guardian would mean that flames drain out of the Sky at a constant rate - and so of course they would start feeling empty if they have no one on the other side of that bond, their flames just leeching into their surroundings.

Bonding would therefore create that 'whole' feeling because they are no longer losing those flames into the environment, but instead feel it move through their Guardians. He never had that problem before because his Sky flames couldn't get out through a door that's jammed shut. Although, now that it's a bit broken in places, Reborn is getting that strange sort of…needy feeling.

Reborn tells the logical part of his brain to shut up because he doesn't need his own mind arguing against him here. Reborn does not require Guardians to live a happy and fulfilled life.

But he still has a problem. He has approximately zero control over his Sky and he can't train with it because the moment he loosens his grip it will flood the bonds. God forbid any wisp of fire gets into his surroundings either.

Permeating the air with Sky is a technique people colloquially call 'Sky attraction'. It's a nice way of saying 'bear trap'. The moment someone even remotely matching a Sky steps into the invisible cloud of neediness, the flames will latch on to the Potential and not let go until it finds someone better.

Being around a person's flames, every minute of every day for however long it takes to find a new candidate, can do strange things. At the basic level it will impart a sense of familiarity with the Sky. Then comfort and closeness. Then when it hangs around too long, when it really sinks in; warmth right down to the bones.

Then Protectiveness.

Love.

_Obsession_.

Skies not raised in a famiglia, ones who don't have the information and protection that position carries, they don't last long. Usually killed by Potentials when the poor Sky finds someone better and the lack of that loving warmth makes everything feel so much colder and dim.

Reborn has been hired to kill insane Potentials before, which -a small voice in the back of his head says- might be part of the reason he doesn't want to touch his Sky flames. Not that Reborn needs more of an excuse than simply pointing at Fon to demonstrate how much being a Sky sucks.

And so, Reborn can't control his flames to push it into Verde's cube, nor can he train himself in control because a slack grip will immediately solidify the bond.

Reborn contemplates his next step as he throws up blood into the toilet.

"Reborn," Skull says quietly from the doorway.

The hitman jerks in surprise, spits out a mouthful of blood and slams the toilet lid down before casually resting an elbow on top like its super comfortable sitting on the cold tiles of his bathroom. "Skull, I was just. I think I ate something bad – uhm." Reborn squints. "So this asshole punched me in the stomach and it's taking a while to heal."

Skull's bottom lip wobbles and his eyes looks wet with unshed tears. "Are you sick?"

"Define sick," Reborn muses. Then he frowns. "Why are you in my house?"

Skull throws himself forward and drops to his knees beside Reborn, hugging the hitman tightly. "What can I do to help? It's going to be okay, we'll take it one step at a time."

"Did you break in?" Reborn asks, incredulous.

"Define break," Skull mutters into Reborn's collarbone. "I have a key."

"I certainly didn't give it to you."

Skull pulls back only as far as it takes to meet Reborn's eyes. "What are you sick with? Is it a spy thing? Did someone from the Mafia, like, poison you?"

Reborn blinks. "You know, Skull, I would like you a lot better if you were less of a freak."

Skull gives him jazz hands. "But life would be a lot more boring."

Reborn almost says; 'I kill people, what part of me is boring?' but instead goes with; "Give me the key."

"I have a spare so it would make zero difference," Skull admits. "But if it makes you feel better-"

"Do whatever you want," Reborn sighs. He lifts the toilet lid to spit out some more blood.

"Oh," Skull drags out slowly. "That's a lot of blood. You feeling a little dizzy there, babe?"

Reborn shuts the lid firmly.

"Okay," Skull says. He sits down more comfortably and rubs soothing circles into Reborn's back. "If you don't want to talk, you don't have to."

Reborn hunched over, his elbow on his knees and face in his hands. After a long moment Reborn takes a stuttering breath. "When I die-"

"You're not dying," Skull states adamantly.

"I'm throwing up blood," Reborn laughs hollowly. "Maybe they'll award me the world's greatest title posthumously."

"We can fix it," Skull insists. "Do you know what's wrong?"

"It'll be quicker to list the things that are actually going right in my life," Reborn scoffs. "I bought some new shoes last week, that was nice."

Skull looks like he's about to start crying.

"It's nothing," the hitman sighs. He stands slowly. "It's fine, Skull. Just forget it."

"Please?" Skull asks, peering up at him from the ground. "I might not be able to help, but I personally find it's easier to get my head in order if I have to explain things out loud, so maybe it'll help you at least a little."

Reborn flushes the toilet. "I'm going to brush my teeth and we're not going to hang out in the bathroom anymore for a start."

Skull hovers the whole time, arms half extended like Reborn will collapse from blood loss any moment. They do move to the couch and Skull runs around collecting water and snacks in an attempt to replenish Reborn's blood levels.

Reborn lazily munches on a protein bar, occasionally tearing off a piece and feeding it to Skull, who has taken up residence with his head on Reborn's lap and doesn't seem to be moving any time soon. Reborn has never wanted a dog but this is actually pretty nice.

Reborn finishes the snacks and they sit in silence until Skull starts crying.

"I know that's fake," Reborn says sternly. "Those are crocodile tears, you can't fool me."

Skull rolls over to bury his face in Reborn's stomach and hiccups quietly.

"If your makeup runs and you stain my suit…" Reborn beings threateningly.

Skull bursts into dramatic wails.

"Damn it, fine!" Reborn shoves Skull off him and onto the floor. "My flames are not behaving and while I do have a solution, I can't use it because it needs technique. And." He gestures vaguely off to the side. "My flames are not behaving."

Skull crawls back up onto the couch and stares until Reborn properly explains the issue with his flames and the new box, but leaves out the superfluous stories about why it happened. (His dignity is wounded more than enough already.)

"Could…" Skull hesitates. "Could the box not be working properly?"

"Verde's too good," Reborn denies. "He loved the challenge; I could read it in his eyes. He wouldn't have done a bad job on purpose and he's too good for it to be a mistake either."

Skull bites his lip, teeth clicking against the silver piercing there as he thinks. "I wouldn't hold you back. You know that, right? I wouldn't … I wouldn't stop you from doing what you love. I'd help you."

"I'm not bonding with you," Reborn says firmly. "…and you'd take too much of the weight, you wouldn't last. My flames are meant to be shared between six."

"I can take it!" Skull reassures. "You always say I'm too strong for my absolutely shit control."

Reborn stays silent for a long time. "Maybe. Maybe I should ask Verde. Two could share it…"

Skull perks up. "So, after this, you'll be better?"

"I should be."

Skull holds out a hand. "Go for it."

Reborn blinks. "Now?"

"When do you want to do it?"

"U-um," Reborn stutters, taken aback at how fast this is moving. This is kind of a big deal, not something you decide to just go for. But when has Reborn ever been hesitant or unsure? "Okay, yeah. Now is fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skull has ceased to be a person in Reborn's eyes. He has instead become a pet, loud and annoying, who needs too much attention, but he belongs to Reborn all the same.


	10. Relationships and how to complicate them.

Verde hears nothing from Reborn after handing over the flame storage device. He doesn't know if it worked, if his Sky is fixed, if Reborn's condition worsened, if-

If Verde failed. He can't track down the hitman's house and that Cloud drives too fast for Italy's ancient speed cameras to keep up, everything just a blur of purple and black.

He finds the Monster but that creature begins to look directly at the cameras with increasing frequency and an ever growing smile, so Verde quickly decides it's best to stop.

Verde does get feedback through the initial bond they have. A sudden, all-consuming rage that splutters and dies almost immediately.

Replaced with a hazy sort of numbness.

That feeling, it drifts through Verde. Weighs him down, makes him sluggish and forces his thoughts down trails they shouldn't go.

Verde makes more storage cubes; tweaks the energy expenditure, switches materials for extra durability, moulds the outside to fit perfectly in the palm of Reborn's hand and optimises the consumption frequency according to the sample of Reborn's flames that Verde took on the first day they met.

Really, how disgusting that Verde would be influenced so much that he's losing himself. His other projects have been shoved into storage rooms, blueprints thrown into drawers and half forgotten.

Verde has a twenty-six million dollar deal to supply the Cerchi famiglia with new plastic matrix run-flats and electrochromic glass for their expanding human-trafficking ring and the trucks they use for transport. Verde has barely even glanced at the contract since he met Reborn.

So now Verde is just sitting in a room with seventy-eight hand-held machines for flame storage, all in different shades of orange because he can't quite match his Sky's beautiful honey-gold flames, trying to figure out how he can find Reborn and-

Happiness bubbles up. From somewhere in Verde's chest. It floods the bond, the pressure building and pushing against his ribs.

Verde smiles fondly and hates himself for it.

* * *

"Hey, Fon," Reborn greets, sprawled out on his stomach over a picnic blanket and peering through his scope as he waits for the perfect moment to kill both targets with one shot. It's not needed, he just wants to show off.

Fon approaches the hitman cautiously before taking a seat at the edge of the roof, near Reborn but also far enough away that he can't be pushed off the building. "Good morning. How have you been?"

"Pretty good," Reborn tries to say casually but Skull's bond flares up with a burst of glee and Reborn smiles.

The idiot has probably just thrown himself off a cliff.

"You look happy," Fon muses. "I'm glad."

"My client is paying me an exorbitant amount to kill her cheating husband and his woman," Reborn says. "She wants them to die in the guy's office during sex. I love revenge kills."

Fon tilts his head. "Are you…watching them have sex right now?"

"It's more boring than I thought it'd be," Reborn admits in disappointment. "He kisses like a camel chewing. Do you want to see?" Reborn leans away.

Fon hesitates but takes a peek. "Huh. And why is she…?"

"It might be a kink," Reborn suggests.

Fon straightens up and lets Reborn take over again. "I never want to see that again."

Reborn chuckles and his amusement hits Skull, making the Cloud ping back with joy, and the cycle keeps going. Reborn has been practically been smiling non-stop for the last few days because neither of them can manage the bond very well.

"You smell like a Cloud."

Reborn's head snaps around, only just realising that Fon is far too close now. "Why are you sniffing me?"

"Metal and gasoline," Fon murmurs. "What a Guardian they must be. Are they stronger than I am?" Fon says it lightly, as if it's a funny joke that someone could be stronger.

Reborn shoots twice to take out the couple, his earlier plan for a two-in-one forgotten, and swiftly rises to his knees before immediately starting to pack his gun away into the suitcase.

"Don't run again," Fon sighs.

"Don't make weird comments," Reborn retorts.

He gets to feet and folds the picnic blanket into the suitcase as well before closing it. Fon stays sitting on the ground of the rooftop, looking sadly up at Reborn.

"When do you go back to China?" Reborn asks. He swings the case behind him and grabs the handle with both hands behind his back.

Fon perks up because Reborn has yet to run screaming from him. "I take short trips back. I don't want to leave you alone for too long."

Reborn glances to the window he just shot through. No one has noticed yet since he didn't shatter it. There are no cameras in the area either, Reborn made sure. Still not a good idea to stay up here for too long.

"Have you been stealing my kills?" Reborn asks, looking back to Fon.

"Oh," Fon murmurs. "Pardon me, I believed they were trying to assassinate you without your knowledge."

"Someone keeps sending them after me," Reborn explains. "It's some thief, I think, blaming me for their work and expecting that I'll clean up their enemies for them."

"Do have a lead?"

Reborn shakes his head. "The assassins say it's a different person that they got the information from each time."

"A Mist," Fon realises.

"Or a very good network," Reborn argues. "So, anyway, stop killing my things."

Fon smiles. "As an apology, can I buy you a drink?"

"Are you going to punch me in the stomach again?"

"That depends on you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Verde is a nerdy shut-in who doesn't understand how human relationships work.
> 
> Fon understands, he just doesn't give a fuck.
> 
> Skull wins by default.
> 
> Alsooo Fan Art ~  
https://www.deviantart.com/dragon-of-courage/art/Renato-s-Heart-of-Sky-833115353


	11. Auditions Open!

The little cube robot zooms past Reborn's foot and slams into the wall with a quiet _ump. _Gears whirr almost silently as the robot stick to the wall with one of its opaque glass sides, the base releasing from the floor.

The cube zooms up the wall, pauses where a chemical splash is, and a panel opens from the top. It spits out a little feather duster, vacuum end and three-pronged claw holding a bit of microfiber cloth. The cube gets to work cleaning the spill up, working its way down the wall where the liquid drips.

Several more cleaning cubes wheel into the room, past Verde with his clenched fists sparking with green Lightning, past Reborn with his gun pointing at the ground in a mockery of being harmless. They pause under the same wall and little vacuum pipes start sucking up broken glass, from the shattered conical flask that was hurled across the room.

"Say that again," Reborn demands.

"It's your flames," Verde grits out. "You're doing this to me."

Reborn laughs, sharp and jagged. "I can't even control my flames, you think I could hit you with Sky attraction?"

"It's because you can't control it-"

"I didn't want this!" Reborn snarls, fingers turning white where they grip his gun, still pointing at the ground but not for much longer. "You did it to yourself."

Verde opens his mouth but it takes a moment for him to start talking. "Pull back on your Sky flames. Just do that and we'll be fine. I can feel it in the air."

"That's not Sky flames," Reborn murmurs, eyes shaded under the brim of his hat. "Heavy? Like someone is standing right behind you? Feels like you're choking, can't get enough air? Oh, Verde, that's called _killing intent_."

Verde grimaces.

"I don't understand what you want," Reborn pushes. "You wanted me enough to bond, you've been following me everywhere trying to understand who I am, but then suddenly you're backing away now?"

"That's it!" Verde snaps. "I don't do that, I don't do this - this _caring_ for other people. My work has fallen to the wayside, all of my projects are about you. There's something wrong."

Reborn sighs and holsters his gun. "Meeting people can change you, it's common." He gestures vaguely off to the side. "Skull hugs a lot. I don't like it, the physical contact, I never have. But Skull hugs and he does it all the time, so now I hug him back and I hate that I do it."

"How long have you known him?"

"A fortnight longer than you? Three weeks before you at most."

Verde crosses his arms. "That's not enough time to pick up his habits so strongly. It can't be natural."

"Of course it's not natural!" Reborn cries. "What part of this situation screams '_natural_' to you? Do I look like I should be a goddamned Sky?"

"Maybe-" Verde pauses but steels himself. "Maybe you're not doing it on purpose but something is happening and we can't let it get out of control. You're being influenced too. I mean if you hate being a Sky so much then why did you spend time with the Monster?" he accuses. "What did you even come here for?"

Reborn almost -_almost_\- tells Verde he came here for a Guardian. But that would be pathetic, begging for companionship, especially since Verde apparently thinks people would never tolerate Reborn unless he's manipulating them into liking him somehow. Reborn is better than this man, he deserves better.

"It's raining," Reborn says instead. "I didn't want my suit to get wet."

An expression flickers across the scientist's face too fast for Reborn to catch.

The scientist scowls. "Get out."

"With pleasure."

* * *

Reborn tries to pull away, yanking on the bond like he did so often in those first few days, and he's surprised when Verde does too. Instead of giving up after a while, Reborn goes even harder and they slowly pull back until it thins and frays. With both of them, pulling from both ends so actively, the faint bond goes taught and eventually snaps.

It hurts, of course it does, but only for a few days and there are no side effects after. It's an initial bond, new and still so shaky, so fragile. They could have waited a few months and it would have broken on its own but both Reborn and Verde are powered with hate right now and too impatient to wait.

(_Am I that bad? Even when I'm a Sky, people are trying to get away from me. Is Verde right? Are my flames keeping Skull here?_)

* * *

"I heard stories," Reborn murmurs. "Of people breaking a full bond."

Reborn is slumped back against the couch, rather morose because he's back to square one, with Skull slowly being burned up from the inside because the Cloud is trying to take everything by himself.

Skull comes to a sudden halt from where he's pacing a hole into the living room carpet. He turns to Reborn and blinks. "Um, excuse me, no?"

"I got rid of Verde," Reborn points out. "If I break Fon's and then yours, I can actually practice with my Sky and then use the flame storage device instead of needing Guardians."

"What did he say?" Skull demands. He quickly reaches Reborn and drops to his knees, grabbing the hitman's hands. "What else did that shithead say to you? You're the greatest, Reborn, and you know it. Where did that arrogance go? You deserve a hundred -a thousand- Guardians and we'd all love you for the rest of our lives-"

Reborn snatches his hands back. "That's not normal! We've known each other for a couple of months, why do you care so much?!"

"Because I'm not fucking _normal_!" Skull snarls, rising to his full height above a still sitting Reborn. "Because if I meet someone who I want to be with, then I kidnap them to my house and stalk them until they love me back."

Reborn stares.

Skull sits down beside Reborn and snuggle's into the man's side.

Reborn automatically puts an arm around Skull and sighs. "I think the bond breaking is getting to me. It feels like I'm missing something, it's throwing me off."

"That's okay," Skull murmurs, pressing his cheek into Reborn's chest. "I'm sorry for shouting at you."

After a moment, Reborn looks down at the stuntman. "Are you also going to apologise for the kidnapping and stalking?"

"Maybe later," Skull says dismissively. "Anyway, we don't need anyone else."

"Yes, we do. You're starting to get symptoms," Reborn grumbles. "Verde was a mistake – I didn't realise how scared he was of…" He huffs out a humourless laugh. "Of commitment. I promise that I'll screen the next one better."

Reborn quickly starts making a mental list. He flicks through contacts and dismisses most of them on the basis of; 'have killed someone they liked before'. Another few dozen get crossed out because they're too weak, either mentally or physically.

The last handful are weeded out because of; 'too ugly', 'belong to a famiglia', 'Skull doesn't like mean people', 'hates coffee like a heathen'.

The list is blank again.

Reborn imagines writing down Fon's name tentatively. Then Reborn remembers being chased down, punched in the stomach and sniffed like he's a flower. The coffee date does not cancel those out. He scribbles out the entire page and mentally rips it up.

"We don't need anyone else," Reborn echoes woodenly.

Skull presses his lips into a thin line. "How about…I pick the next one?"

Reborn glances over at the stuntman and raises an eyebrow. "I'm not accepting your little freak show friends-"

"No, not them," Skull interrupts, waving a hand about. "I met this person at a bar a couple weeks back. Pretty friendly, strong, even uses firearms like you."

"We don't need another long-distance fighter," Reborn says but he considers it. "Are they aligned?"

"Uh…maybe?" Skull shrugs. "I mean, they're not part of Interpol like us, but they do work for COMSUBIN."

Reborn ignores the Interpol comment automatically and scoffs. "I though you said they were strong."

"Is COMSUBIN bad?" Skull asks sheepishly. "Look, whatever, just meet them. At the very least they won't treat you like a lab rat and then backstab us."

"Oh, you're so innocent," Reborn coos. "Do you really think Verde walking away was anything like betrayal? So cute. You don't even know what people can do." He reaches over and ruffles Skull's hair.

Skull smacks the hand away and frowns, not in the mood to brush off what Verde did to them. "Maybe you just have lower standards than me."

Reborn rolls his eyes. "Fine, let's look at your little soldier. What's their name?"

"Colonnello."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lal is coming, I promise. It's going to be great.


	12. Nello is best boy.

Reborn checks all of the bathroom stalls, he swears he does. No one is there, the windows are stuck shut, he doesn't ever see the door open.

Reborn washes his hands and looks up into the mirror to find Fon standing far too close to his back. Reborn whips around and one wet hand reaches for his gun, just resting on the metal and soaking his suit jacket.

Fon leans forward, reaching around Reborn to turn off the tap. "Good morning," Fon says without leaning back again.

"I was in a weird mood the last time we met," Reborn warns. "I still don't like you, please stop following me."

"My parents wish to meet you."

Reborn looks at the bathroom stalls and waits.

"They're not going to come out of the toilet," Fon reassures, his lips quirking up into a smirk.

"Well you can't blame me for being suspicious," Reborn argues. "Where did you come from? Why can't you just meet me on the street?"

Fon shrugs a little bit. "If we did this in public, someone would call the police."

"Fascinating," Reborn muses. "So you're aware of how disturbing you are, you just choose to keep doing it anyway."

"My parents would like to meet you," Fon reiterates as if he can simply restart the conversation instead of having to answer difficult questions.

Reborn goes along with it anyway. "I would also like to meet the people who raised someone like you. I have a few inquiries for them."

Fon smiles brightly. "Wonderful. If we call a taxi now, we can take the next flight to Beijing."

Reborn raises an eyebrow. "I actually have something on today, but if you take this flight then I'll catch up with you later."

Fon chuckles lightly.

Reborn laughs too.

Fon grabs Reborn by the throat.

* * *

"I usually don't like a sunroof," Skull admits to Colonnello, patting his car as they stand on the sidewalk waiting for Reborn. "I like crashing them occasionally, and a sunroof is a real hazard if it rolls."

"Huh," Colonnello muses. "COMSUBIN has this jeep that flips back onto its wheels if it goes over."

Skull leans closer. "Even if it rolled to the roof?"

"Even then," the soldier replies. "Crazy ride if you're in it-"

Reborn sprints around the corner and drags them both by the elbow into a lingerie shop just next door, rushing them past racks of lacy fabric and into a changing room at the back.

"Maybe we should save this for the third date," Colonnello jokes. This an interesting first meeting.

Reborn shushes him quickly and waits. Ten minutes go by, Skull playing with the bra left hanging from a hook on one wall of the stall. Two staff members are gossiping outside about why three men just ran into the changing rooms and if they should call security.

Nothing happens and Reborn relaxes.

"What was it?" Skull asks curiously.

"I had to go to the bathroom," Reborn sighs.

Colonnello looks between the two but Skull seems just as confused by the short sentence.

"Never mind," Reborn grumbles.

He leads them back out and they all continue down the sidewalk towards the small Mafia shopping arcade. Just to make it clear, Reborn did not plan this day, Skull did. Skull decided the best way to assess a new Guardian was to play games.

Reborn is focused on intelligence and strength but Skull wants someone nice to be friends with. They had the strangest argument over it, a bit like a couple inviting a third into their bedroom, until Reborn just gave in and let Skull run wild.

They get five steps into the building and Skull immediately deviates, running into a game store to play on the claw machines.

"I'm the best at these games!" Skull cheers, latching onto the big red machine. "Babe, go get tokens, I'll guard the claw."

Colonnello offers Reborn a grin. "You want me to go instead?"

"It's fine. I don't want to be associated with the freak anyway," Reborn admits. He wanders off to find the counter as Colonnello chuckles.

The blond has a nice laugh. Reborn likes it.

Reborn finds the counter and exchanges fifty euro because Skull is actually very bad that these games but he's also stubborn enough to stay until he does win.

"-pretty rare to find a Sky," Colonnello is saying. "I mean I'd love one but it's a bit far-fetched. Even if I wasn't just a recruit now, COMSUBIN doesn't collect Skies."

Colonnello is facing Skull, back to Reborn, so the hitman is free to jab a finger at Skull and drag it across his neck because if this is Skull being subtle, Reborn never wants to see the idiot being obvious.

Skull jolts and straightens up because he knows he's been bad. "Oh, uh, Reborn!"

Reborn dumps the load of tokens in Skull's hands and leans against the clear window on the opposite side from Colonnello. "Go ahead, let's see how quickly you can fail."

Skull splutters. He doesn't have pockets so he simply drops all of the tokens on the floor at his feet except for one and pushes it into the machine.

Skull immediately goes for a cute octopus in the back and misses by a mile, hitting the leg of an elephant and getting nothing.

"Practice run," Skull dismisses. "Okay, whatever, now I'm getting serious." He grabs a token off the floor and tries again.

Reborn is almost impressed by how bad Skull is. The Cloud can see out of both eyes, right? Is there an issue with depth perception?

"No," Colonnello laughs. "Skull, go further back, what are you aiming for!" He pokes the glass beside him.

"No backseat gaming," Skull cries. "Watch this, first try and I'll get it."

"You've already had a first try," Reborn points out.

"Bullshit, I don't remember," Skull splutters. "Show me evidence!"

Reborn rolls his eyes and looks through the glass to find Colonnello watching the claw intently. Reborn doesn't want to be obvious…but if they were already on the topic…

"If you met a Sky, what's the first thing you would do?" Reborn asks casually, looking back down at the claw hooking on the tail of a horse.

Skull gasps, eyes going wide. The horse is slowly picked up. Then dropped halfway. Skull deflates and makes a sad noise.

"Do they look busy when we meet?" Colonnello wonders, gaze flicking up to watch Reborn. "I wouldn't want to interrupt them."

Reborn slowly turns to the blond with shiny black eyes.

Skull coughs loudly because Reborn looks a little scary. "Nello, you come and try."

"Have you given up?" the soldier teases.

"I'm warming up my hands," Skull grumbles. He slides to the side, pushing Reborn further away.

The hitman has not stopped staring at Colonnello.

The blond goes to pick up a token and Skull leans over to mutter quietly at Reborn. "Do you like him?"

"I'll never let him leave me," Reborn whispers with a disturbing intensity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reborn wins all of the toys in the entire machine just to prove he can. He gives the octopus to Skull but everything else is gifted to Colonnello.


	13. A mafia party needs more blood.

Reborn bounces up the steps of the mansion with the rest of the crowd lazily flowing in from various expensive cars, lips twitching up into an involuntary smile occasionally.

Skull abruptly brightens up, happiness coming through the bond like humming a song. Probably still gleeful over his new stuffed toy all because it was Reborn who won it.

Reborn has had practice now so he suppresses his instinctive need to respond. The last time they got caught in a feedback loop, Skull was a giggly mess on the floor of the green room before a stunt show and Reborn was crooning through the bond, squatting in a closet and trying to hide after he killed the right-hand man of the Corsa famiglia.

Reborn moves swiftly through the crowd greeting each other at the entrance. He sees people turn to him in his periphery but Reborn has somewhere to be. He does enjoy the networking to attract more clients, and he loves to dance, but he has a very clear goal today.

"Reborn!" the Donna of the Corsa famiglia calls out sweetly.

Reborn pretends he doesn't hear and breaks away from the crowd to emerge into the huge fairytale style ballroom. Pure white marble floors with hints of silvery highlights wind across the ground and up the pale grey walls. Chandeliers hang down like the glass ceiling above shattered and was caught mid-air.

Mist flames glimmer at the edges of the room, making everything bright and starkly clean, keeping out of bounds doors invisible and letting staff move like ghosts through the crowd.

Several dozen Rains have blended with the guests, women in glittering dresses and men with sharp suits, ready to step in and quietly neutralise any troublemakers.

Colonnello would look so good as a suited bodyguard. Reborn is going to make that happen.

The live band at the end of the room and a few hired dancers to keep the crowd moving are all Suns, able to ward off exhaustion despite the long hours that parties like this tend to go on for.

Lightning flames crackle in rhythmic pulses through the circular crystal tables dotting the ballroom, delicate surfaces covered in food and alcohol and hardened with the flames surging within so the next time someone gets thrown at a table it doesn't break so easily.

A bar on the left of the entrance is filled with Clouds spinning metal shakers in a dizzying blur and pouring never-ending drinks.

Storms make up the backrooms, Reborn assumes. Ready for clean up when switching menus, when someone gets too drunk and spills something on themselves, when the corpses need to be disposed of.

Fon is probably lying in wait in the bathrooms.

Does a member of the Triads get invited to places like this? Well, either way, Reborn doesn't want to risk it.

Reborn moves further in but keeps to the edges, where wide doubles doors lining the sides lead out to one long connected balcony wrapping the entire building, overlooking the gardens, the twisting paths dimly lit by the moonlight.

Reborn has killed several people in those gardens before. Not all at once, but on four separate occasions. The security here is laughable.

Verde could probably land one of his big robots on the roof and people would wave it off as a helicopter.

This charity ball is hosted by the Legno Scuro famiglia, a yearly event raising money for developing better technology and tactics to hide Mafia Land from the prying eyes of the law. Legno Scuro is a neutral famiglia, large but rather stupid and easily influenced.

Much like Alicia, the poor idiot Reborn's thief has thrown out as a scapegoat the moment Reborn got too close.

Reborn knows that the thief is some shadowed information broker who backstabs everyone they deem useless. That's all Reborn managed to get before Alicia's name started popping up.

A cousin to a weapons manufacturer that Reborn put out of business for the scrap metal they tried to sell as guns. A friend to a rich heir who owns the warehouses Reborn enjoys dumping his corpses, which got shut down by police investigation.

At face value, Alicia has many reasons to want revenge on Reborn. To set him up for apparently robbing people that he couldn't care less about, or apparently killing a few others on fake hits that would have insulted Reborn had he actually been contracted for it.

Except it can't be Alicia because Reborn once spent a lovely night with her in Germany. She's very good with her hands but also a bit of a dumbass and couldn't possibly organise all of this.

Reborn winds around a large table dedicated entirely to a huge chocolate fountain (that Skull would love – and stop thinking about your weird half-Guardians now, Reborn) then steps up to a small group of people with a smirk. The circle of women quickly break apart to stare at him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

Reborn smiles charmingly and offers a hand. Alicia takes it with a flirtatious flutter of her eyelashes.

Reborn sees a figure in his periphery, wavering and indistinct even with Reborn's ability to see past most illusions. They pause just before they re-enter the glittering ballroom from the darkness of the balcony, catching sight of Reborn as he leads Alicia out onto the dancefloor.

They lean against the door and they're smirking in victory, but that's fine, because Reborn does love a bit of arrogance in his targets before he breaks them down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so many ideas for a Mafia strip club; like all the dancers would be Mists so they can change into different forms and famous people.
> 
> I bet Viper owns a 'Gentleman's Club'. I bet they save money on alcohol by using Clouds to propagate it. I bet they give pictures of half-naked Arcobaleno for the pole dancers to change into because it rakes in all the cash.


	14. Guardian no. 2 acquired!

They end the day sitting on steps leading down to the river that runs through the city, the faint sound of traffic above them and a sunset glistening off the softly stirred waters as they eat ice cream.

"I don't mind this," Colonnello admits after a while of pleasant silence, chewing on the wooden paddle pop stick in his mouth as he sits between the two.

"Don't mind what?" Skull responds lazily, voice partly muffled since he's sucking on the end of the icy pole's now empty plastic wrapper.

"Waiting," Colonnello explains. He spits out the stick and it impressively lands in the bin a couple of steps down. "I get that Skies are paranoid about letting people in."

Reborn's grip spasms around the empty ice cream cup held in his lap, the tiny plastic spoon rattling against the edge. He turns away from where he's watching the water lap up against the lower concrete steps and his focus narrows in on Colonnello.

"We don't have a Sky," Skull corrects lightly, but the pause has already lasted too long.

Colonnello seems to be a great fit; he's as energetic as Skull and as competitive as Reborn. Plus the blond is really into feeding them, which is great. He'll buy them drinks when they pass by convenience stores or have snacks waiting when they meet up, always with a rougish grin and happily throwing his arms over the other two's shoulders.

The soldier is also very loyal, considering he once knocked out an assassin with no hesitation before Reborn even managed to pull out a gun. Colonnello did not actually know it was an assassin, he thought the woman had grabbed Reborn's ass and that's why Reborn flinched away so suddenly, but it still counts.

However, loyalty tends to get a bit skewed when Skies come into the picture. Because often times, a Sky isn't really person so much as a tool or trophy. COMSUBIN doesn't use Skies to attract recruits or to act as a symbol of prestige but that could change.

Truthfully, Reborn doesn't know how COMSUBIN operates past basics because while he has attempted to gather more information, this whole thing has gone by so fast, he's had so little time. He feels like he just met Colonnello yesterday, but also like the blond has been one of Reborn's friends since childhood.

Colonnello turns left and right, looking between them. "You are testing me as a Guardian, yeah?" He pauses, pulling back a bit. "I'm not just - I mean I'm happy to be your friend still, if that's all this is, but I thought that maybe…"

Colonnello sounds unsure, self-conscious and a little bit embarassed. Reborn could lie, and the blond would believe him with all the embarassment weighing the man down.

Yeah, he probably could lie.

Reborn takes one hand off his ice cream cup and drags his fedora down over his face in shame. "We lasted barely a month," he groans. He's better than this, honestly. He shoves the hat back up and glares at Skull from around Colonnello. "I blame you."

"What?" the Cloud splutters, the icy pole's plastic wrapper falling out of his mouth and flopping sadly over his leg. "Why?"

Reborn's glare sharpens. "Because do you even know what 'subtle' means? You seriously asked him about what he thought of being a Guardian, literally the first day I met him."

"Well how else were we going to find out?" Skull cries defensively.

"You slide into the topic and then make him start talking about it first so he thinks it's his idea," Reborn snaps. "This is basic interrogation."

"I'm a civilian!" Skull throws his hands up in frustration. "How am I supposed to know interrogation tactics?"

"It's common sense," Reborn shoots back.

Skull deflates. "I tried," he whines quietly.

Colonnello snickers in the background and quickly holds up his hands in surrender when the other two frown at him. "I can keep a secret if you want me to," he promises. "I won't tell anyone, you're clearly hiding. I was just letting you know that we can move on from the basic screening now."

Skull widens his eyes hopefully. "You want to be Reborn's Guardian?"

Colonnello stares. "Reborn's?"

"Ah," Skull realises. "You didn't know that." He coughs. "I mean, did you want to be Reborn's _fellow _Guardian? And my fellow Guardian. Because Reborn does not have Sky flames."

The hitman sighs and tosses his ice cream cup into the bin. "What's the point of even trying anymore?"

"No, no," Colonnello says quickly, leaning toward Reborn and waving a hand dismissively. "This is good – this is actually better. I thought you two were interviewing me and then we'd go back and I'd have to meet some strange Sky who would definitely have a God-complex."

"Reborn does have a Go-"

Skull chokes when Reborn lunges across Colonnello's lap and picks up the icy pole packet to shove it into the stuntman's mouth.

Reborn sits back up and turns to Colonnello now that Skull is occupied with spitting out plastic. "There's no one else to meet."

"No one?" Colonnello echoes. "No other Guardians? Regular subordinates? Alliances?"

"I'm freelance," Reborn mutters in annoyance. "What do you want from me?"

Colonnello shrugs. "I just thought that someone must have picked you up. Do you not want a family?"

"I don't need one," Reborn says honestly. "They'd drag me down. They'd be slow and weak and stupid and I'd be the one who has to deal with their messes. I don't want to be collared – there's not a single reason to deliberately mutilate myself by letting parasites latch on to me."

The blond cracks a smile. "I see you've run into some assholes before."

Reborn huffs.

"Families aren't like that," Colonnello continues, slumping back to plant an elbow on the steps behind him. "I mean, I don't think they are." He runs a hand through his short blond hair. "I'd be willing to test that."

"Yeah?" Skull asks hopefully.

Colonnello is watching Reborn.

Reborn thinks that maybe they're rushing things a bit, but he also know that he really does want Colonnello with him. He nods. "Okay."

Skull squeaks in delight and rams Colonnello from the side so they both fall over onto Reborn, who barely catches himself on the edge of the steps that drops down into the river.

"Do it!" Skull cheers, bouncing where he's half lying on Colonnello's back. "Do it, do it!"

"Now?" Colonnello blurts out, holding himself off Reborn with his hands braced on the steps either side of the hitman. "Here? Like isn't it a whole ceremony?"

"Sounds boring." Skull sticks a tongue out. "We do it differently."

"What's your way then?"

Reborn smirks. "Make an attempt and hope for the best." He wraps his arms around Colonnello and takes a quick peek to check no one can see them with the overhang above and the darkness settling on Italy with the lowering sun.

Colonnello flares a brilliant, stunning light blue and his grin is even brighter.

He fits in nicely with the other weird bonds Reborn has accumulated and the abrupt sensation of shock and pride and overwhelming happiness is quite the ego boost for Reborn.

Then Colonnello's arms give out from the shock to his system, and since Skull is still pushing, they all go over the edge and plop into the river below.

Could have been worse.

* * *

Colonnello's Guardian bond is also humming inside Reborn now, sparking up shyly and waiting for Reborn to tap on it in reply before the soldier settles down contently. Colonnello seems to be worried that Reborn will disappear.

Reborn is terrified that Colonnello is a figment of his imagination, a perfectly nice and normal man who doesn't have a predilection for kidnapping or stalking. Maybe Reborn has gone insane, stuck in Skull's basement, and has created himself an imaginary friend.

Does that mean Fon and Verde are also a part of his imagination? Oh God.

Colonnello bumps him and Reborn taps and they both smile, three hours away from each other but perfectly in sync.

"What's making you so happy?" Alicia asks.

A cute blond and a purple freak.

Well also, Reborn is so close to finally digging out that bastard Mist messing around with him. He's weeded out the dead ends by shifting through Alicia's contacts, picking up a few loose strings the Mist has left, so arrogant as to not even bother clean up after themselves.

He's pulling, unravelling the web. That gambler, leading to the manager of the horse stables, linking to a farm with body disposal, matching to a crude famiglia, meeting with those meth labs, stretching several dozen other bridges and that's just what Reborn has found in a month.

It's almost impressive, how the Mist controls so many pieces, all to just get the most amount of the money the fastest. Honestly, Reborn will enjoy ripping the network to shreds by leaving hints to competitors or disposing of a few key players. Might even get Interpol involved if Skull wants an adventure.

He won't play much though. He hasn't killed anyone fun in too long, and he's getting withdrawal.

Reborn turns to Alicia and softens his expression into something approximating love-struck. "I'm with a beautiful woman, why would I be anything else but ecstatic?"

Alicia's beautiful laugh rings with a toss of her hair and she leans into Reborn's shoulder.


	15. Verde is not wrong - they're idiots.

Over the course of about ten minutes, Reborn slowly winds tighter until he's left standing in the kitchen, a death grip on the counter as he tries to think of a way to ignore the man behind him while still being able to thrown the Franken fucker out.

"If it helps," Verde begins. "I do apologise."

"It doesn't." Reborn releases the poor counter and turns around. He now has a kitchen island that Verde is standing behind, the dining table off to the left and the attached living room to the right with the front door right next to the long couch.

"I had to make sure," Verde insists. "I work with mind altering drugs, they're popular these days. It's a real threat."

"Yeah, I do know," Reborn deadpans. "People have tried _your_ exact drugs on me before, for the quite the variety of reasons. So you, suggesting I'd do the same thing, is kind of making me hate you right now."

"I didn't mean that-"

"You have made it perfectly clear that you don't trust me," Reborn points out. "I don't need your insecurities in my life right now, and I don't know you well enough to want to help sort that out. You deal with your stuff and then you come to me and we can talk."

Verde scowls at first but then just sighs, his body slumping. "I know, I'm wrong, I'm the problem." He leans forward and braces himself against the counter. "But I do know what I want now. I want you." Verde pauses. "I made you a vivarium."

As in a specifically designed enclosure, to observe a creature in their natural habitat.

Reborn gapes for a moment. "No. No, I'm not going to be an experiment."

"More of a pet-"

"Verde!"

"In a nice way!" the scientist insists. He huffs. "Fine, alright, I want what you have with your odd little Cloud. And now that Rain, I suppose."

"They've earned that," Reborn warns. "You haven't."

"Has the Monster?"

Reborn narrows his eyes. "I don't want to talk about him."

Verde offers up a smirk. "Then I'm still winning."

"He isn't even a Guardian," Reborn argues. He rolls his eyes. "I'm not having this conversation with you. Come back when you can do better than a monster."

Verde wavers. "I am trying."

"That's nice," Reborn accepts. "Now try harder."

Verde stays right where he is.

"That was your cue to leave," Reborn suggests.

Verde begins to move around the counter. Reborn immediately draws a gun because he has seen lesser Lightnings coat their hand in flames and stab straight through someone's chest. There's really no telling what someone of Verde's strength can do, even discounting the numerous inventions lining the man's pockets.

Verde stops though. He stops and holds out a hand. "You owe me two experiments for the flame storage. This is one."

Reborn looks down at the hand. "You can't be serious."

"If you didn't want me, I'd be dead already," Verde argues. "We don't have a bond-"

"Yeah because you broke it over commitment issues!"

"-so my death wouldn't give you backlash now but you still haven't killed me for what I've done to you," Verde finishes. "Reborn. Just a spark."

"Pick something else," Reborn demands.

Verde lets his hand fall. "We're perfect for each other."

Reborn's next exhale is too sharp, a stifled laugh. "Depends on who's perspective."

"The Cloud is your chaotic side," Verde muses. "I haven't studied your Rain enough but that Storm is all determination." Verde pushes up his glasses. "I'm your logic, your pragmatism. The voice in the back of your head when things are going too well, when there's something wrong, something that could be a threat."

"_You're_ the threat," Reborn says, incredulous. "You want to put me in a damn vivarium."

"We're perfect," Verde repeats, pointedly ignoring Reborn. "Because the Cloud would invite a potential problem into your home with his naiveté, the Rain is a soldier who would wait for your cue to react, the Storm would smile and watch and believe himself so superior that he would relax his guard."

"I don't need protection," Reborn scoffs.

"The others do."

Reborn pauses, watching Verde's expression closely. "And … you would protect them?"

"I would have to, wouldn't I?" Verde waves a hand at Reborn vaguely. "This. Sky flames. It's not linear. I would be connected to everyone else through you, we would be a_ set, _all equals."

This is genuinely the first time Reborn has heard someone talk about a set without implying that the Guardians' focus should always be on a Sky. It's designed like a ruler and their court, always a Sky at the helm and the Guardians as spokes off a wheel, never really connecting to each other and always lesser.

Reborn doesn't care if his Guardians are powerful, or even if they have the strongest flames in the entire world or something equally ridiculous, that's not what he's after. What's important is that they can all be friends, genuinely loyal and loving, not just distant work associates who can be dropped if they stop being useful. The strength and intelligence factor comes later, plus can always be trained up.

Reborn really likes Verde's idea of them all being partners in this.

The hitman shrugs, trying to act casual. "Well, we wouldn't be equals per say. I'd be the strongest, after all."

"Depends on who's perspective," Verde echoes Reborn's earlier statement wryly. He holds out his hand. "Your Guardians are idiots and you know it."

Reborn hates that Verde is right. "Nothing but an initial bond, and I'll break it whenever I damn well please."

"Agreed."

Reborn reaches out but hesitates. "And we're in this together."

Verde raises an eyebrow. "I wouldn't make a very good follower."

"Strange, because you're an excellent stalker."

Verde just grabs Reborn's hand in annoyance as the hitman laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reborn doesn't care if his Guardians have bad habits like human experimentation or trust issues because Reborn has his own little vices, such as killing people or being an extreme perfectionist.
> 
> (Also, I finished the fight between Skull and Fon so...yeah, just wait for that chapter.)


	16. Why is this a secret?!

Skull returns with Colonnello after grocery shopping, both their arms laden with bags as they race each other to Reborn's front door.

Reborn opens the door and Verde steps out, Skull coming to an abrupt halt when he recognises the man. The scientist passes by and offers a nod. A car drives up to the curb behind Skull's and the entire side disappears for Verde to get in before it drives off.

"Come on," Reborn says and gestures them in, helping take some bags from each and kicking the door shut after.

"Who was that?" Colonnello asks, dropping the shopping on the island counter after Reborn.

Reborn shakes his head, looking distracted but not in a bad way. "I'm meeting for a contract, lock up when you leave." He grabs his briefcase off the dining table and leaves without another word.

Colonnello turns on Skull.

"It's a bit of a long story," the Cloud offers, already moving to put the shopping away.

It's actually not that long and they flop down onto seats at the dining table after packing everything away so Colonnello can ask questions.

"So we keep the Lightning away," Colonnello summarises. "Because he's an indecisive shithead."

"Yep!" Skull chirps, balancing precariously on the back legs of his chair.

Alright, easily done. Colonnello is still a bit confused about what his job is though, since Reborn isn't part of an established famiglia so there are no territory squabbles or information digging or income streams. There are no missions needing to be done.

It's just one lone hitman, an adrenalin junkie of a stuntman and now a soldier.

Colonnello has been trying to get information on Guardian bonds but it's so restricted to the high-tier famiglias that he's flying blind. He thinks he knows what should happen, but clearly Reborn and Skull just skip over most traditional steps. Which is actually great, because this all feels so natural, but Colonnello is a little worried that he might become too relaxed and won't do his job properly.

Colonnello is a bit nervous, since Rains are supposed to be liaisons, calming and friendly. Colonnello doesn't have a temper or anything but talking to people is boring, especially if it's all that fancy, double-meaning bullshit. Lal usually just threatens people so she's not a good role model for this. He wishes he could ask Lal but Reborn being a Sky needs to be kept a secret.

Skull is pretty weird too though, just in general. And Reborn isn't the best example of a Sky. Or even a normal Sun, now that Colonnello thinks about it.

This is obviously a very strange set that's being made. Maybe Colonnello should just ask what he should do? It's not like Reborn or Skull would call him an idiot and then kick him from the bond. Okay, so they would call him an idiot, but Colonnello is pretty firmly set up in their bonding.

"What do you do for Reborn?" Colonnello wonders. He still has COMSUBIN, still has three years left of his military service, but he can still be a Guardian. He'll make it work.

"I give him hugs," Skull says proudly.

Colonnello barks out a laugh. "I meant, am I supposed to do anything in particular? Should I follow him on his jobs?"

"_God no_," Skull says instantly, losing balance and thudding forward on all four chair legs. "No, Reborn gets so bitchy if you do that and he will drive you _insane_ with his passive aggressive comments."

"Then what do I do here?" Colonnello slumps forward over the table and rest his chin on folded arms. "I just wait for him to get home like a pet."

Skull shrugs. "I hang out here because I get lonely easily." He mimics Colonnello's position, lying on the table. "There's the Sky flame overload that he needs us for but it's a 'running background installation' kind of thing."

Colonnello looks around. "Should I leave then?"

"No, you don't have to," Skull denies quickly. "There's just no particular reason to be here, but you can still stay. We're friends, we don't need a reason to hang out."

The blond still looks like he doesn't understand but nods slowly. "I guess it has to be a little strange, having a freelance hitman be a Sky."

Skull sits up. "Hitman?"

Colonnello stares. "I'm sorry, what?"

* * *

Reborn rears back when Skull wrenches open the door.

"You're a hitman?!" Skull shrieks, eyes wide.

Reborn shoves Skull inside, slams the front door shut behind them, and then locks onto Colonnello standing further inside the house. "You told him?!"

Colonnello throws his hands up. "I didn't know it was a secret! Why is this a secret? Fuck, _how_ is it a secret – you've killed hundreds!"

Skull makes a shocked sound.

"I don't enjoy it," Reborn retorts, lying straight to their faces. "It started out of self-defence. I struggled in the Mafia, okay? My parents died very early and people bullied me so I don't really know affection-"

Skull begins to relax, expression going from shock to pity.

"Fucking liar!" Colonnello crows in amazement, crossing his arms. "God damn, you're in the running to be titled the world's greatest hitman, how are you shy about telling your own Guardian?"

Reborn jabs a finger at the blond. "Say another word and I'll show you just how good I am at killing a bitch."

Skull bows his head, shoulders hunching. "Do you hate me?"

Reborn blinks. "What? No."

"Then why did you lie?" Skull asks the floor quietly.

Reborn pauses, putting his hands on Skull's shoulders gently. "You're a civilian, I didn't want to scare you."

"Reborn," Skull says calmly, peering up at the hitman. "You've killed lots of people in front of me."

"I…don't remember that."

Skull waves vaguely. "During the Interpol missions we go on. I don't see you do it but there are a lot of bodies, it's kind of hard to miss."

Colonnello opens his mouth, closes it and then tries again. "Interpol missions?"

Reborn sighs.

"Yep!" Skull chirps instead. "Reborn got me in on it, so now we both work as super cool spies." Skull pauses and tilts his head in confusion at Reborn. "Wait, so Interpol hired you as a hitman?"

"That's correct," Reborn lies with such confidence that he almost makes himself believe it.

"Really?" Colonnello muses, looking shocked. "Wow, I thought you'd be on the most wanted list."

"Well, I happened to save one of their higher-ups on a hit a few years back," Reborn makes up. "They look the other way as long as I repay them by taking their jobs at a lower price."

The two make understanding, awed noises and nod along as Reborn launches into an entirely fictional hit where he saved a Governor General and several politicians from a shoot-out.

Reborn is a little bit incredulous that these two idiots are buying it, especially when they've just uncovered another lie, and this only cements his decision to add Verde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Nello is trying his best to be a good Rain, when Skull is an awful Cloud and Reborn is a pretty shit Sky.
> 
> Verde is also slowly closing the gap in the race for favourite Guardian even if the scientist doesn't know it. (I know some of you don't like Verde but he's still tame compared to Reborn's other Guardians *ahemFonahem* so I feel like he should get another chance.)


	17. Unstoppable Monster vs Unbreakable Freak

Reborn arrives at his apartment with Skull behind him, only to find Alicia dead on his living room floor and Fon sitting at the dining table sipping tea.

Fon places the tea cup down and stands.

Reborn immediately shoves Skull back towards the door, and the stuntman moves away quickly but doesn't go far. Skull doesn't want to leave Reborn alone, but he is also very aware of how bad he is at fighting. He stays away in order to not get in Reborn's line of fire or become a hostage but gets ready to be a distraction if Fon becomes too much.

"Maybe we should sit down and-" Reborn grunts, both hands catching an uppercut to his sternum. "Fon, stop, talk to me."

Reborn reaches for his gun but Fon is already too close. The martial artists grabs Reborn's arm and scarlet fire licks down the hitman's sleeve, the gun dissolving under his fingers. Reborn wrenches his arm away and dives for the kitchen island, the drawer where he keeps the knives.

Skull thinks about calling Colonnello but the blond is on a COMSUBIN mission today and too far away. Skull starts to call one of his friends in Interpol.

Reborn darts across the tiles between the stove and the island, curling his fingers around the drawer handle, but Fon is already pressing up against his back. Reborn throws an elbow and Fon catches the arm, spinning him around. They step away from the drawers together and Reborn's knee comes up.

Fon twists, avoiding it even in the small space, and Reborn steps just a little too wide after pulling back, his stance more open than he intended.

Fon redirects a punch with a raised forearm, grabs a fistful of Reborn's shirt and tie with the other hand and pitches forward. Reborn is slammed backwards, down onto the granite counter top of the kitchen island.

It sounds like a muffled thump of something hollow cracking open. Reborn goes limp and his eyes slide off Fon, losing focus.

Fon's expression abruptly blanks with shock, having expected more resistance to the push. He makes an aborted movement to jerk his hand back, but logic kicks in and he gently feels for a pulse instead while his other hand comes up to support Reborn's head.

There's a pulse and even breathing.

The hitman blinks, slow.

Fon lets out a stuttering exhale. "Reborn-"

A phone hits Fon in the shoulder, swiftly followed by Skull's entire body. They both hit the floor and Reborn groans weakly from being jerked around when Fon's hands left him.

It takes a while for Reborn to realise he's not dead. His Sun flames are already scrambling around but he calms them and makes the healing more efficient, which in turn clears up his scattered thoughts into something more linear. Nothing is broken, just … fractured in places. That's fine, he's kind of sure he can fix this.

Reborn musters up the concentration to send soothing petting motions through the bond to a distressed Colonnello because everything is under control, no need for backup, enjoy your day, yes I will call you later tonight.

Reborn can't really see or hear anything right now, it's a little bit hard to focus with the headache going on, but he does notice when the other two get closer again.

Skull takes a fist and an elbow to the face and chest, then a knee to his stomach, throwing him back through the space between the stove and where Reborn lies on the island counter. Skull's hands grasp at the stove top as he falls, ripping off the heavy metal grating. He hits the ground and rolls back over his shoulder to his feet, hurling the now Cloud-propagated spiky metal at Fon, who slides out of the way.

Fon steps forward into a high kick and Skull raises an arm reflectively, managing to take it against his shoulder thanks to a quick turn. He's still thrown sideways, hip jarring against the edge of the counter. He catches himself on the stove top and turns a knob on the side, blue fire sparking to life.

Skull's gloved hand slaps down on the fire and it explodes in hues of sharp blue streaks and violet swirls. Fon flinches back, feeling the dry heat gush past like a blastwave. The fire blooms against Skull's chest, vicious in its hunger, racing up his arms and around his back, turning almost invisible where it touches him but edged in sharp red, orange and Cloud-purple. It also spreads across the counter, licking up the splashback and jumping to the wooden cupboards either side.

Skull pushes off the stove and turns to Fon, all scorching heat and wild eyes.

Fon pitches forward and tries to take Reborn away from the danger but Skull lunges and Fon scrambles back from the stuntman on fire, retreating into the wider space between the adjoined kitchen and lounge room.

Reborn sighs.

He continues to lie there for a while but does eventually get up and off the counter. He slides to the cold tiles and lands on his hands and knees. Reborn thinks, but it's really hard to think, so instead he just crawls on the floor to the cupboard beside the stove. He sits back on his calves and opens the double doors, avoiding the parts currently on fire, and pulls out the small fire extinguisher tucked into the very back of the lowest shelf.

Reborn pulls out the pin and sprays the bits he can get while sitting on the floor. He hugs the fire extinguisher to his chest and waits until the room stops spinning, then uses the cupboard shelves to help him stand up.

Reborn putters around the kitchen, putting out the fire and turning off the stove. He rests against the wall for a little bit and then stumbles around the island and up to Skull and Fon who are wrestling on the ground.

Fon is sitting on top of Skull, doing a really good job of beating the shit out of the stuntman. Skull is clinging to keep Fon on the ground and isn't letting go anytime soon.

Fon is technically winning, but also he's on fire, his clothes torn and blackened and skin already visibly blistering with the heat. Skull is technically losing, but also he's distracting and hurting Fon which seems to be the intention.

Reborn sprays them both with the fire extinguisher and then rams the base of the metal canister into Fon's head. Skull rolls the stunned martial artist off him and bounces to his feet like he doesn't have a punctured lung and several fractures in his foot - among other, lesser injuries.

Skull takes Reborn by the upper arms and guides him backwards into a chair at the dining table. Skull then borrows the fire extinguisher and charges Fon, only to be tripped and have his head stomped on.

Reborn pats the nice darkwood table and waits expectantly. Nothing happens so instead he has to lean for it and pinch the edge of the stacked placemats, dragging them and the nice wooden box on top over to him. He opens the box and starts taking out coasters and the matching salt and pepper shakers. Reborn pushes down on one side of the base and the other levers up, allowing him access to the compartment underneath.

Fon slaps Skull back to the ground and looks to the hitman when he hears the distinct click of a gun loading.

Reborn puts two bullets into Fon's legs and then one into the man's stomach since Reborn feels like Fon deserves it. He also lays the gun down and rests his head on his folded arms because everything is too bright and Reborn wants to throw up.

Skull rolls to his feet and stands over Fon for a bit but the martial artist has abruptly become obedient, arranging himself neatly on the ground and bleeding out as he stares up at the ceiling, appearing to contemplate something.

Skull goes to sit down next to Reborn instead. He grips the edge of the table with his burnt gloves. "Um, are you better now?"

"Nah really," Reborn slurs.

"Are you gonna die?" the Cloud asks quietly.

"I hope so."

Skull looks away.

Reborn sighs and sits up. "Don't cry, idiot. Holy shit, who sets themselves on fire?"

Fon pipes up with a little; "It was an interesting tactic."

"You," Reborn declares, pointing a finger at the Storm. "You shut up and die faster."

Skull sheepishly raises a hand and waits for Reborn to look at him. "My suit is flame retardant and I thought he would run away from me, but he kept trying to grab you so we did end up fighting again."

Fon offer up a soft, encouraging smile to the Cloud. "I would have normally tried to get some distance between us, in which case your tactic would have worked. Unfortunately, I was worried about Reborn being left so close to the fire."

"Yeeeeah," Skull drags out. "I didn't really think about that part until after I did it."

Reborn lies down on the table again. "I miss Colonnello."

Fon bares his teeth before suppressing it down to a close-lipped smile. "Is that the weak, pathetic Storm you tried to replace me with?"

"Fuck you," Reborn deadpans into the table, too tired to put much emotion into it. "You know what? I'm going to find a damn Storm Guardian just to spite you, you psychotic asshole."

Skull looks between them in shock. "That's what this is about? You attacked Reborn because Alicia wanted to get in his pants?!"

Fon blinks and his smile turns serene once more. "Oh. It seems I have yet again made a small error in my judgement-"

_"Die faster!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't look at me, Skull did that on his own.


	18. The aftermath of a Storm.

Lal glances over again and Colonnello is still looking a bit shaken. "What was that phone call?"

Colonnello grimaces. "My...my friend got attacked. He says he's fine but I'm just worried."

Lal raises an eyebrow. "Alright then." She sighs and rechecks her shotgun. "Guess we're finishing early."

Colonnello perks up. "Yes, Ma'am!"

* * *

Colonnello blitzes through his mission and races to Reborn's home late that night to find Reborn sitting at the dining table sipping coffee while a burnt Skull is curled up on the couch napping, the kitchen blacked with scorch marks, and a whole lot of blood.

"You're back early," Reborn muses tiredly, turning to Colonnello. His fedora is resting on the table, right next to a handgun and three extra ammo clips like he's expecting a fight. "Did Skull tattle on me while I was moving the body?"

"Skull said some Storm guy tried to kill you," Colonnello says, taking a seat beside Reborn. "And then you healed the guy anyway?"

"It's fine," Reborn sighs. "Monster is just like that, you know. It's what he does."

Reborn waves a hand vaguely and Colonnello catches it, pulling him over so they can cuddle (damn you, Skull, it's infectious).

"I'm tired," Reborn mumbles into Colonnello's shoulder.

Colonnello strokes the hitman's soft black hair, messing it up a bit because this is probably the only chance he will ever get since Reborn is obsessive over his looks.

"I don't think I finished healing Skull," Reborn complains. "My head still hurts. It's going to take so long to fix the kitchen, I need to clean up the blood, I put the corpse in the backyard."

"Skull can suffer since I'm sure he caused most of this mess," Colonnello soothes. "Let's go upstairs because if you rest, you'll be less tired, and your headache will go away. I'll take care of the blood and the body, then we'll decide what to do with the damage together."

Reborn blinks. "You know, he looked devastated when he thought I replaced him. Sure, he attacks me but I like fighting him, it's fun. This time was...I lost my footing and. It. Everything snowballed."

Colonnello frowns. "Where are you hurt?"

"It's all healed," Reborn dismisses.

The blond tsks but lets Reborn get away with it. "The Storm - is it just for how strong he is? Because I've been training to ... anyway, I feel like Skull won the fight."

Reborn laughs. "Fon wasn't trying particularly hard but I guess Skull could have done better too. Besides, I don't need his strength, I'm going to be the world's greatest some day." Reborn pets his gun. "I want him, for all his violence and persistence, and I want it to be mine. I don't care that he's a monster, I just care that he's _my_ Monster. I want loyalty and he would raze famiglias to the ground for me."

"That's not a good thing," Colonnello points out very logically.

"Oh, sweet Rain," Reborn croons, nuzzling into the blond's shoulder. "This is why we didn't spark. Because you're a good person on the inside and I don't deserve you."

Colonnello rolls his eyes. "Just take the guy in for a trial run."

Reborn winces, pulling away and sitting up. "He hurt Skull. Neither of you like him anyway, it would fracture us."

Colonnello just leans over instead, flopping all over Reborn with long arms. "I don't like him, he's a shithead, but I'll give him one more chance. Because it seems like you really want to make it happen, otherwise I would be hunting him down right now. Skull would agree as well, I think, to a test run."

"I don't know," Reborn mumbles. "Maybe he'll die of blood loss and the decision is out of my hands."

However, that is...kind of what he's doing with Verde? He's trialling the scientist. But Fon has done more, is more of a threat to the others if Reborn lets him get too close.

Reborn looks up at the soldier. "Could you work with him, trust him, if I did want to try?"

"No," Colonnello deadpans immediately. "Hell no to trusting him, after pulling this bullshit-" He cuts himself off and grimaces. "Look, I haven't even met him before. I won't trust him but I will play nice for you. I think…" He pauses. "…that I don't know the situation, and this might not be the best advice. But if you like this guy, how about you try communicating for once? Without violence. Because honestly, I'm going to need to see how he responds before I can give you an actual answer."

"Communicating. Sounds boring," Reborn hums.

Colonnello lightly headbutts the hitman. "You know exactly what you're willing to put up with and what you're not, make that clear."

Reborn reaches up and pets Colonnello on the cheek because it's time for a distraction since he hasn't decided what he should do yet. He smirks. "Skull set himself on fire like a weird defensive instinct."

Colonnello takes a deep breath. "Let's get you into bed." The soldier disentangles himself from the hitman and pulls them both up.

Reborn takes his gun and ammo before slinking up the stairs, lingering long enough to see Colonnello slap Skull awake with a pillow, before continuing to bed while Skull hysterically tries to explain his rather unique fighting style.

* * *

"Babe!" Skull calls down from the top of the stairs, half-dressed and hair still dripping from the shower.

Reborn and Colonnello both look up.

Skull trots down a few steps and sits so he can see them better. "Ah, bigger babe," he clarifies.

Reborn goes back to reading the newspaper and sipping espresso. Colonnello, who is about half a head taller than Reborn, rolls off the couch and lopes up to the bottom of the stairs.

Skull makes grabby hands at the blond, chipped purple nail polish on his fingers. "Have you seen my gloves?"

"Yeah, you burned them," Colonnello deadpans. "I threw them out along with the rest of your ruined suit."

"No, but I had a second set of my protective leathers here," Skull insists. "It's purple with a black lining?"

Reborn chuckles. "You just described all of your clothes."

Skull scoffs. "Because you're so much better, Mr. Suit-and-Fedora. Let's not forget camouflage over there."

Colonnello frowns. "This is my uniform!"

"You're not working, this is your lounge-wear!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just slipping in some cute domestic scenes because my latest Naruto fic 'Heroes' is getting a bit too...emotionally detached.


	19. Cleaning up.

Reborn steps out of the way when Skull trots by with a large bucket of scraps, dumping it into a pile in the backyard for now until they can throw it all.

Colonnello continues taking the kitchen apart and assessing the damage for what they can keep and what needs to be replaced. He's doing a good job, considering he only has a drill and a hammer to work with because Reborn is definitely not the handyman type.

Reborn moves up to the 'tolerable' pile and sets down his bucket of soapy water on the plastic sheet laid out to keep the floor clean. It's actually for Reborn's murders and is a little bit worn down but no one can tell because it's a thick black material.

Reborn picks up the sponge with a grimace and goes back to washing down the dismantled cabinet pieces and trying to remove as much of the burnt bits. Reborn has changed the water four times now but it's still so gross.

Colonnello huffs out a breath, dropping his tools and gripping a granite edge now that the damaged stove counter is loose enough to just lift and throw in the trash.

If it was just burnt they could sand it down and redo the surface, but Skull's flames went a little wild and there are sharp spikes on the top and bottom, plus oddly warped places that twist out.

"Reborn, come help," Colonnello calls out, bracing and sliding the counter out a bit more to feel how heavy it's going to be.

Reborn glances over and scoffs. "No, sweetie, I don't do _that_ kind of work."

Colonnello sighs because he is quickly coming to the realisation that Reborn considers all menial labour beneath him. It took a lot of convincing and Skull's pout to even make Reborn wipe down the cupboard pieces and the hitman has been whining the whole time.

"Oh, my little prince," Colonnello croons mockingly. "You stand there and look pretty then."

"I said I could just buy another house," Reborn points out. "You're the one who's insisting that we work like tradesmen."

"You like this house, so you're keeping the damn house," the blond fires back.

The granite counter top screeches when Colonnello starts to lift it up and they both wince at the noise.

"Wait, wait!" Skull yells, quickly darting back into the house with a now empty bucket. He looks down at it in his hand, then tosses his bucket out of the open doorway to the backyard and vaults over the kitchen island to help lift.

The two work to pull it up and off, then carefully walk it out towards the back. Reborn watches them in amusement as they awkwardly try to co-ordinate getting out of the door.

"This would be great if we had a third person to help," Colonnello points out as he tilts the counter top sideways. The spikes and warped edges means it keeps almost scraping the doorway if they aren't careful.

Reborn rolls his eyes at Colonnello and drops the sponge into the bucket. Soapy water splashes out and onto his pants. Reborn gasps in horror. "Oh my God!?"

"You kill people!" Colonnello cries, incredulous.

Skull snickers. "It's fine, leave Reborn alone, everyone's got something they can't deal with. You're afraid of moths, right?"

Colonnello almost drops the counter as he finally pulls it through the doorway. "What? No! Not afraid, just. They're so erratic, it's weird."

Skull raises his eyebrows. "Dude, I had to go outside and climb to the second-floor bathroom to kill one because you couldn't take a shit when it was staring at you through the window."

Colonnello splutters and just drops the counter on the grass, making the stuntman stumble with his side of the granite. "Skull, you set yourself on fire!"

"Are we still on about that?"

"It happened yesterday!"

* * *

Reborn refused to lie on the living room carpet for their sleepover but Skull and Colonnello didn't want to be separated. It turns out Reborn's bed is just barely big enough for three grown men.

Skull ended up losing the rock paper scissors so he's in the middle, passed out on the bed after the long day, piercings taken out and makeup gone.

A shirtless Colonnello is half on top of the stuntman so he doesn't fall off the edge of the bed, his snoring a low sort of purring noise that vibrates through his chest and into Skull's. Colonnello also has his leg slung over Skull's hip and an arm reaching across to grab a fistful of the back of Reborn's sleeping shirt.

The hitman has installed himself on the other side, back pressed against the Cloud's warm body. Reborn is lower down on the bed so his head comfortably lies on Skull's shoulder and he hugs the rest of the stuntman's arm to his chest. He faces the door, handgun attached to the headboard above him, low enough that the mattress usually hides it from view.

Verde tsks, leaning back in his chair and watching them from several angles through the computer monitors stacked in front of him.

Verde can already predict that Skull is going wake up with zero feeling in his arms. There are a lot of complications that come with lack of circulation, it can be quite dangerous. He makes a note to warn them when he visits.


	20. How long has Viper been doing that?

Skull opens the door to show Verde waiting outside, the scientist followed by large blocky robots.

Verde immediately looks to Reborn. "I'm sorry I left you alone with these people."

Skull hunches his shoulders. "It wasn't that bad!"

Verde hums very judgmentally and walks inside, shoving Skull back to let his robots enter. One large robot sits down and opens up reveal tiny cleaning cubes that immediately scurry around. Another moves out to the backyard and starts eating the trashed kitchen equipment. The third unfolds into a whole laser cutter with the fourth carrying in slabs of wood and granite.

"Are you watching us somehow?" Reborn complains because it's only day two since the incident and Verde is already here with a whole renovation crew prepared.

"I put trackers on those two idiots and several cameras and microphones in this house," Verde easily explains.

Skull throws up his arms. "Reborn! Why aren't you kicking him out?"

The hitman shrugs carelessly. "Look, I don't know what I'm doing with this renovation, we might as well keep him around."

Colonnello has very quickly moved to stand between Verde and Reborn, arms crossed and flexing his muscular biceps to intimidate the scientist. Colonnello is usually the tallest one in the room so the giant that is Verde actually hurts Colonnello's pride. "Reborn, I'm going to need an explanation for why you're letting a traitor in, or I'm assuming he drugged you."

Verde spins around to the blond, excited at finally being validated because Reborn has never believed him about the potential threat of someone's mind being influenced by outside sources. "Thank you, exactly! It's a perfectly reasonable concern to have. Perhaps I did slip Reborn something to make him complacent."

Skull and Colonnello start to puff up in outrage.

Reborn rolls his eyes. "You are not helping your case." He glances between the other men and then glares at the burnt stove. "Verde said...that he wanted us to be partners, and I like that."

Skull splutters. "Partners? Boyfriends-!"

"Wait, wait," Colonnello cries. "You let him come crawling back because just because he _said_ he wanted to be your Guardian? What, did he say 'pretty please'?"

Reborn looks away, body twisting slightly to try and hide. "Just. Not Guardian, like...because I don't run a famiglia so there's no need to act as if I'm a boss that you have to answer to."

Verde pushes up his glasses, clearly judging Reborn for that awful explanation. "Reborn despises the connotations that come with being a Sky, but he enjoys the bonds he has and doesn't want to lose the closeness. He instead wishes for a partnership where we are all equally decision makers and hold the responsibility together."

Skull hesitates. "Isn't that what we have?"

Verde scoffs. "You're a civilian. You don't know the first thing about navigating the Mafia or what it takes to survive with a title to your name. You can't help Reborn even if you wanted to." The scientist turns on Colonnello next. "And you, soldier. You've been looking up how to be a traditional Rain Guardian which is the exact opposite of what he needs."

Colonnello looks to Reborn for confirmation because he's not going to trust this stranger with something so important.

Reborn meets blue eyes. "I want you to stay in COMSUBIN, if that's what you want. You've been worried about switching between them and me, but I just want you to be happy."

"I need to be with you," Colonnello admits. "What if you get attacked again and I'm not here?"

Verde sighs in frustration. "Do you think that was Reborn fighting all out against Monster? Against someone he knew and admired?"

"I wouldn't say admired," Reborn quickly corrects.

"You want the beast as a Guardian."

"Please remove your listening devices and stop being a creep."

The scientist ignores this and continues with Colonnello's conversation. "Reborn is in the running to be the world's greatest hitman, he doesn't need help to take care of himself. He doesn't want bodyguards or subordinates because he is not your boss and sure as hell not your _Sky_."

Colonnello begins to protest but Verde cuts over him.

"Reborn is a hitman," Verde finishes with. "Who kills with exceptionally strong Sun flames. They are his primary, therefore by every naming convention the Mafia, he is and always will be a _Sun_."

After a long moment of hovering silence, Reborn clears his throat and quickly begins to leave the room. "I'm getting rid of your stalker cameras."

The other three are left alone with the robots.

Verde smirks.

And so Colonnello catches on quickly. "You. Lightning, you're courting him!"

Verde looks very smug. "Well I can't help it if my words just so happen to make Reborn happy."

Skull makes a distressed noise and runs after the hitman. "Reborn, he's tricking you! Don't fall for it!"

Colonnello jabs a finger at Verde. "You sly motherfucker, you're not worming your way into our bond that easily!"

Verde chuckles darkly. "A genius of my calibre against a soldier and a stuntman. Good luck keeping up with me."

* * *

Skull is waiting outside, kicking rocks out of the flowerbed and squinting from the bright lasers that shine out from the windows even through the shut curtains. Verde is laser cutting new tiles and he only has enough protective gear for himself and Reborn. Colonnello has actually stolen Skull's helmet and managed to argue it would do a good enough job, so Skull got kicked out.

A vague, blurred figure glides up to Skull's side. "I just need to confirm that the Storm was the attacker? He got shot?"

"Reborn fixed him up after." A particularly bright burst of light comes from the house and Skull squeezes his eyes shut. "Personally, I don't think we should let Fon be around Reborn anymore." The stuntman shrugs, eyes still closed. "But I don't know, Reborn wants him."

The figure hums. "Why is the Lightning here? Did they not have a falling out?"

"Yeah, they did. Verde came over a couple of days ago though, apparently they had a talk." Skull opens his eyes after the lightshow finally dies down. He kicks the next rock and it lands in the gutter on the other side of the path.

"Do they appear wary of each other?"

"Nah, they seem...good together? They snark a lot and get excited when they talk maths." Skull grins. "Reborn is cute when he gets all nerdy."

"Interesting," the figure murmurs.

Colonnello opens the front door and waves to Skull, stolen helmet in his other hand. "Come up! We're done."

Skull takes a step forward and then stops, feeling a bit light-headed. Was he talking to himself? He thinks he's forgetting something. Skull pats his pockets and looks at the ground but he hasn't dropped anything.

"What's up?" Colonnello asks.

Skull shakes his head. "Nah, it's nothing." The stuntman jogs up the steps and ducks into the house with Colonnello. "Yo, what is that awful pattern?"

"That's what I said!" Reborn cries.

Verde scowls at them all. "I have the laser cutter; I get to pick the damn pattern."


	21. Just shopping around - not for a Rain though.

Reborn is being choked out against the wall of the men's bathroom. Not by Fon, which is a nice change.

Reborn would like to make it very clear that he still hasn't recovered from his fight with Fon only a few days ago, because if he was at full strength he would have easily killed this man who is -like just maybe- twice his size.

Reborn wheezes, clawing at the man's thick fingers and a hand that's bigger than his face. His feet kick at the air under him until he finally gets purchase with his toes against the man's shins to take some of the pressure of his head.

Reborn can hold his breath for six minutes actually, so it's really the threat of his throat being crushed that's making him panic.

There are four men, more waiting outside. He couldn't get an exact number but he spotted at least a total of seven when they dragged him out of the black market situated under a theatre and into this public bathroom across the road.

The one holding him has a huge butterfly tattooed over his face, a beefy boxer. The one to the left has shiny diamond rings all down his fingers and is the one who pick-pocketed Reborn's guns before the fight even started. Rings is the only one holding a gun blatantly but Reborn is cautious of other weapons that might appear.

On the right is a woman and Reborn has genuinely never seen a woman that big before – might be a champion weightlifter. The last one near the door is a bored-looking young man that is running the show and might be French if Reborn's guess is correct.

Honestly though, where's Fon? Not that Reborn needs him, it's just annoying that he doesn't show up now but bothers Reborn every other time.

The young man, probably an heir, sighs. "_Let's try again_," he mutters in French.

Butterfly relaxes his hold and Reborn clears his throat.

"_Where did you put the money?_" Heir demands. "_I know it was you, that Mist information broker led us right here._"

Reborn is going to find that Mist and he is going to do bad things to them. Things that Skull and Colonnello will never find out about.

"I don't know what you're taking about," Reborn answers. In Italian, just to be difficult.

Rings translates Reborn and Heir gets a scowl on his face. Butterfly yanks Reborn away from the wall and then slams him back against it.

Reborn's head hits the tiles and he blinks, dazed. Oh, right where Fon got him.

"_Hitman_," Heir spits out. "_I do not take well to thieves. What have you done with my money?_"

Reborn could probably lie his way out of this one. He opens his mouth to at least try when there's a scuffle outside.

A male voice snarls from the street. "What are you looking at? Run along, little girl."

As everyone glances towards the door, Reborn flips a hidden knife out of his sleeve (because Fon has taken his guns one too many times), stabs Butterfly in the wrist, then face, before flinging the knife into Rings' chest –_damn he missed_\- into Rings' shoulder.

Reborn hits the ground when Butterfly staggers back trying to stem the flow of blood (wow that man has a thick head if he's not dead already), then Reborn ducks under Weightlifter's swing to tackle down Rings from around the waist, dodging the burst of bullets that flies over his head.

Heir disappears out of the bathroom for safety while Reborn grabs the gun in Rings' hand, slams the other elbow down on the man's nose to make him let go and rolls away from Weightlifter's kick. Reborn rapidly shoots all three from the ground before getting back to his feet.

Reborn tells himself that the bathroom floor isn't that dirty and he can burn his suit later, after he gets out of this mess. He drops Rings' inadequate gun and grabs his own firearms back by looting the man's corpse before moving cautiously towards the exit.

Reborn twists, pressing his back to the wall next to the closed door. It's concrete and tiled, it should block bullets. There are brief bursts of gunfire outside but not aimed towards Reborn. He waits a bit for the gunfire and shouting to move further away from the door and then peeks his head out.

The street outside is narrow and wobbly from worn down cobblestones. Since the black market is just in the theatre opposite, it's Mafia territory and no one's going to make a fuss over bullets flying.

It is strange, that a COMSUBIN soldier is here.

The Italian special forces soldier is ducked behind her Jeep on the bathroom side, looking annoyed. This must be the 'little girl' mentioned before, though she seems older that Reborn.

Heir and his men have moved across to the theatre and the better cover. They're currently out of sight, probably waiting for the COMSUBIN to make a move first and adjust their plan from there. Everyone knows it's best to not involve special forces; they get quite territorial and hunt as a pack.

The woman's head snaps over to Reborn, blue hair lashing out from the sharp motion and she half directs her shotgun towards him. She seems to hesitate, vaguely recognising him – hopefully not for being a serial killer. Reborn gets ready to duck back.

"You," she mutters. "The Interpol hitman?"

COMSUBIN does have crossover with Interpol regarding missions and information gathering occasionally. The gossip must have spread by now.

"I'm not proud of that," Reborn does admit, mostly watching the hiding spots around the theatre. "What's a soldier doing here?"

The woman grunts and nods towards the black market. "I want to get my recruit an anti-tank rifle but COMSUBIN considers that kind of weapon as mission-necessary only."

She's here for leisure then. Must be high up the food chain to take a COMSUBIN Jeep out to a Mafia hotspot and wander around without a care. Should be strong enough to fight off an attack but also important enough in COMSUBIN that she won't get dragged in for questioning.

"Any particular brand you're after?" Reborn muses. "This place is better for standard firearms, you won't find something like an anti-tank here."

The soldier pauses. "My name is Lal."

"Reborn. Pleasure to meet you, Ma'am."

Lal shuffles over. "Come here. Let's deal with these guys then you can tell me where a Mafia-type like you would sell the fun shit."

* * *

It really doesn't take that long, and soon enough Reborn is standing next to her Jeep, listing the places he knows that cater exclusively to firearms as Lal sits in the driver's seat, using the dashboard as a rest while she scribbles down notes on a tissue.

"Probably don't go to that last one," Reborn recommends. "You are very unapologetically COMSUBIN, which won't be received well."

She grunts noncommittaly, which probably means she'll attempt it anyway for the argument's sake, then tosses the tissue and pen onto the passenger's seat. "Thanks."

"No worries," Reborn responds easily. "Just don't use that information to stage busts with your army buddies." Either way, he gave her the ones that have been raided before so it's not like she knows anything the police don't.

"I'll think about it," Lal huffs. She reaches past the rolled down window to hold out a hand. "You're not bad in a fight."

"You were okay," Reborn jokes, shaking her hand.

They spark.

Lal yanks Reborn forward through the window and slams an elbow down on the back of his head to knock him out.


	22. Lal is probably not a cannibal.

Reborn wakes up tied to a bed in what appears to be a very sparsely decorated room. He can hear a whole mass of people rhythmically jogging past underneath the window so maybe this is COMSUBIN. Lal is sitting beside him, hunched over with her elbows on her knees and face in her hands.

Reborn should start wearing gloves. Probably be more cautious around new people.

Actually, no, he doesn't need to change because it is not Reborn's fault that everyone's first reaction is to assault him. Lal has even gone the extra mile and handcuffed his wrists and ankles to the bed posts.

"I appreciate you not taking my clothes off," Reborn admits, flashing back to a much too helpful Skull.

Lal startles and straightens up. "No. No, I wouldn't. Why would I-?" She takes a deep breath. "I don't know why I'm doing this."

"It's okay," Reborn says carelessly. "You're not the first and I'm sure you won't be last since there's still a Mist wandering around somewhere."

"You're still collecting," Lal realises. "Do you have a Rain?"

Reborn hesitates.

Lal leans over him menacingly. "Do you. Have a Rain."

"I don't like that tone you're taking with me," Reborn berates but immediately backflips on that decision because he's handcuffed to a bed so he tacks on a quiet little, "Ma'am."

Lal grabs Reborn's wrist just below the handcuff and forces Rain flames into his arm. Reborn pushes down his flames because as long as they don't connect then theoretically no bond will form. Except Lal doesn't stop pushing into him and his entire arm soon goes completely numb from the tranquillity factor - which is really just a nice way to say 'suppression'.

"We should talk about this," Reborn tries.

"Go ahead. Talk." Lal then frowns a bit and lightens her grip on his wrist, not that Reborn can feel his arm anymore. "I mean, I don't want to hurt you."

"Great, as long as we're on the same page," Reborn muses, still keeping his voice light-hearted despite finally losing all feeling his shoulder.

The flames are slowly creeping towards his heart and Lal seems to be the kind of woman to regret the consequences but never regret her decision to do it in the first place. She isn't stopping.

"I have a Rain," Reborn blurts out, attempting to roll away from her grip. He's too young and beautiful to die! He hasn't seen the world, hasn't killed nearly enough people to be satisfied yet.

"Who is it?" Lal demands. "Are they good for you? Are they a perfect fit like I am?"

"They certainly haven't tried to kill me before," Reborn snaps, breath stuttering as a weight settles into his chest. "I have one, the spot is filled-"

"You could recover," Lal whispers. "If I killed them, you'd hurt but you're strong enough to take it."

"Fuck," Reborn chokes out. He twists towards the door because surely this is the main COMSUBIN compound. "Help! Help, she's going to kill me!"

"Don't bother," Lal suggests. "I have a guard posted at the door and they're not letting anyone in-"

The door is flung open and Colonnello gapes at the scene he finds.

Lal frowns. "What are you doing? Go back outside."

Reborn looks from Colonnello to Lal and sighs.

"Lal!" Colonnello squeaks, lunging forwards and yanking her hand away from Reborn. "Wait, Reborn is the one you caught? Why are you trying to kill him; what did he do?"

"I did nothing!" Reborn protests. Colonnello is here so he's not worried anymore but this is still ridiculous and Reborn is exasperated with the entire situation. "Oh, and, you should probably run."

Colonnello's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Run from-"

Lal surges up to her feet and punches Colonnello in the chest, only pulling it at the last moment so it has half the power. "You bastard! Have long have you had him?!"

Colonnello staggers from the hit and catches himself against the wall with a wheeze. "Wait, wait! I'm not going to leave COMSUBIN now that I have a Sky, it's just - I met this Cloud and they recruited me as a Guardian."

"I'm his Guardian!" Lal snaps.

Colonnello whirls on Reborn. "You're cheating on me?!"

Reborn turns to the open door again. "Help! These assholes are crazy!"

Lal rolls her eyes at Reborn's dramatics and scoffs. "You're fine."

Colonnello runs a hand down his face. "Let's start again. Lal. This is my friend that I've been telling you about."

"Oh?" She says. "You missed telling me about the part where he's a Sky. And a hitman in the Mafia."

"Yes, well." Colonnello winces. He goes and shuts the door, locking it.

Reborn gapes the blond, incredulous. "Come on, you were supposed to be the good one. Why have you turned out like this?"

"Give me a second to talk this out with Lal," Colonnello insists. Reborn is cracking jokes and kicking his feet around for emphasis, so clearly the hitman is fine where he is. Colonnello looks to Lal. "I didn't want to drag you into it. I thought I would have to leave COMSUBIN because he is -as you said- Mafia, and I didn't want you to be implicated."

Lal looks away. "Okay. Okay, I get where you're coming from, but don't keep things this important from me. I do just want what's best for you."

Colonnello smiles, a bit lopsided but so bright. "I'm...I'm glad we'll be Guardians together."

"Me too," Lal murmurs, edges softer when she meets Colonnello's eyes. She then clears her throat and straightens up. "Now hold him down. Not sure how I'll fit a bond in there but I'm going to damn well try."

"No," Reborn blurts out in horror because that sounds terrifying. "No, no. Colonnello, tell her. No vacancy, closed for renovations."

"It's fine," Colonnello reassures Reborn. "I've got this, she's not going to hurt you." He gestures vaguely at Reborn's handcuff situation. "Just...lie down and take a nap while I sort this out."

Colonnello and Lal go into the adjoined bathroom to whisper-shout an argument about why Lal is not allowed to kidnap herself a hitman and force him into bonding.

Can there even be two of the same weather in a set? Is that possible? God, Reborn hopes not but Lal looks like the kind of person who can make impossible things happen – in the worst way.

Reborn wiggles until he's stretching up the bed, head tilted to the side so can reach even with handcuffs. His feels through his hair until he finds folded lockpicks that look like bobby pins and he uncuffs himself.

He sits up and briefly thinks about making Lal have an 'accident' because he should really be firmer about not being kidnapped. It does cut at his pride and he's a bit upset with himself for getting caught three times now.

But at the same time he doesn't actually care about being attacked. He's a hitman, murder is all he does, his career is dangerous. No attacks are ever really personal in his line of work, just business, so he doesn't get upset or get invested in revenge and such.

Lal isn't too bad as a person either, objectively. Plus she's a stranger so he doesn't really care how she acts towards him because it's none of his business. He'll leave it for now, because she seems really invested in keeping Colonnello happy and Reborn approves of that.

He puts the lockpicks back in his hair, grabs his hat and Lal's car keys before vaulting out of the third storey window. He lands on the balcony one floor down then jumps the rest of the way to the ground where he casually strolls along looking confident until he finds Lal's Jeep.

Reborn drives out of the compound through a side gate and floors it as soon as he's out of sight.


	23. Not obedient but also not boring.

Idling at a stop light, Reborn looks around in boredom and catches sight of Fon standing at the entrance to a well known Mafia restaurant, speaking with a man who might be American if Reborn is correct.

The security holds out what looks to be a lightbulb, a simple distraction tactic if any civilians are watching, used to prove if someone is flame active. It flares red when Fon touches it and yellow when the other man does.

Reborn has the abrupt and ridiculous thought that Fon doesn't need another Sun because he has Reborn.

While handcuffed to Lal's bed, Reborn had a bit of a revelation. It occurred to him that he's been very passive, and most of that can be explained by Reborn not taking attacks on his person seriously at all or by how reticent he was at first regarding being a Sky.

However, Reborn is also self-aware enough to realise he wants Fon and he wants Verde but he's been putting off talking to them and setting boundaries because he's not sure if he's ready to take in more Guardians.

Skull and Colonnello were needed because of his flame issue. Reborn can't just wave off a new Guardian with an excuse, it will be because he wants them and nothing else and he's afraid of what that means for him.

Reborn should talk with them at least, make sure everyone is on the same page. Fon still owes Reborn a kitchen anyway, so if the conversation veers off, Reborn has a fall-back excuse.

The traffic lights turn green and Reborn takes a left into the nearby parking lot.

When Reborn enters the restaurant, Fon and his friend are being led to a table in the back corner. Reborn waves off the server who approaches him and weaves through tables towards the Storm. Fon can apparently sense the stare because he turns to look.

"Fon," Reborn greets. "Come here often?"

Reborn puts a bullet through the other Sun's head. People flinch but it is a Mafia restaurant, so they stay out of his way. Reborn holsters his gun and smiles charmingly at Fon.

"Good evening, Reborn," Fon says back. He looks down at the corpse leaking blood on the hardwood flooring. "You are still upset with me, I see."

"What would I be upset about?" Reborn muses. He hooks his elbow around Fon's and leads him back out to the main entrance. He waves over a waiter as he passes. "Not to worry, I'll pay for the clean-up. Table for two, private, if you wouldn't mind."

The waiter bows and takes two menus before he leads them upstairs to a large room tastefully decorated in deep blue and silver with a giant floor to ceiling windows taking up one entire side.

The waiter pulls out a chair for Reborn and begins to pass them the leather-bound menus.

Reborn holds out a hand to stop the waiter and orders for himself and Fon. He's come here often enough that he knows his favourites and he's guessing with Fon's dishes but it shouldn't be too bad unless Fon has an allergy.

Fon only watches him with a smile.

"Excellent choices, Sir," the waiter acknowledges. "I will be back shortly with your orders." The waiter bows his head and leaves quietly with the menus still under one arm.

Reborn delicately unfurls the napkin on his plate and places it over his lap.

Fon tilts his head. "You look...a bit rumpled."

"You were not in the bathroom today," Reborn says instead. "Too busy chatting with that corpse downstairs?"

"I thought it would be best to give you some room," Fon admits. "And the Triad had me contact Henry to receive a parcel, we are merely business acquaintances."

Reborn huffs and turns to looks out of the windows, scanning the buildings opposite for snipers. He once shot a man in what should be the next room over.

"I do apologise for murdering your girlfriend," Fon tries.

"I needed Alicia to find the contacts of the Mist who's been framing me," Reborn corrects. "It's a whole other matter that has nothing to do with you, and everyone keeps distracting me so I have gotten absolutely nowhere with it."

Fon smiles.

"No," Reborn warns. "No, Fon, you are not forgiven. You hurt Skull."

"He didn't have to get involved," Fon points out. "If someone throws themselves in front of a hungry tiger, it is not the tiger's fault for their nature."

Reborn stares Fon down. "When a tiger breaks into my home I think it's entirely justified if I kill the beast."

Fon waves a large sleeve. "The metaphor is not entirely representative of the situation. It is symbolic."

"I know what a goddamned metaphor is!" Reborn snaps back. "Fuck, you piss me off."

Fon blinks, startled.

Reborn pauses and reassessed himself because that was genuine anger at such a simple comment. "I'm sorry, I haven't eaten anything today and there was a...situation that just happened."

"No matter," Fon reassures. "Let's talk about a different topic until the food comes. I will be travelling to Milan soon; do you recommend any particular tourist attractions?"

So Reborn rattles off a list until two waiters arrive with the dishes and lay them out gracefully, pouring Reborn's wine and Fon's tea. Reborn eats half of his meal before Fon switches back to the important topic and starts off strong.

"You don't act like the other Skies I've observed," Fon hums, lifting his tea. "That's my fault, for expecting you to be...similar."

"To be normal?" Reborn offers as a correction, raising his wine glass in toast at being an awful Sky.

"To be _similar_," Fon insists, reaching across the table and pushing Reborn's arm down. "So I don't misunderstand again, tell me what you want in a Guardian."

Reborn watches Fon closely for any signs of hesitation. "I want an equal partner, not a subordinate. Someone loyal, someone who will treat us _-all of us-_ as their first priority. I want you to genuinely enjoy our time together, with everyone, and be close and just-" Reborn grimaces. "I don't want to be treated as a boss, as if this is business, because you're going to be with me for rest of our lives...and that sounds like it would be very lonely."

Fon seems perplexed at the start but his gaze becomes steady, determined. "I'm happy that you're not normal," he admits. "Because that would be so nice and I want it too."

"Happy that I'm not _similar_," Reborn corrects.

"Oh, we are far past that level now," Fon sighs fondly. "This is wrong and you are spitting on tradition and we will have to kill so many to make them finally shut up." He picks up a piece of braised pork and puts it in Reborn's dish. "Eat. You need energy for the massacre."

"Okay, okay," Reborn says with a laugh, blocking the next attempt to pile more on his plate. "So you know what I want, now I need to see you act on it," Reborn states, picking up his fork. "If you're after me - not just any Sky."

Fon smiles at Reborn, a bit exasperated. "I have my pick of Skies scrambling for my favour back in China. If I wanted an obedient one, we both know I wouldn't be here with _you_."

Reborn raises an eyebrow. "Actually though?"

"I should let you meet them," Fon suggests pointedly. "Perhaps you'll learn to be a bit more open to a Guardian courting you, hm?"

"You chased me down!" Reborn scoffs. "What courting? Bring me roses and coffee."

"I was advertising my abilities," Fon argues. "I like to think I promoted myself quite well."

Reborn splutters a for a moment because technically Fon did showcase his hunting, stealth and martial arts very well. "That was - you were like an animal! I thought you had gone feral at the start."

Fon hides a chuckle behind his sleeve. "Ah, perhaps I did lose control of myself the first time. When I realised you could hold your own, when you did not look at me with fear but excitement and exasperation...I wanted to see if I had found a Sky who could finally keep up with me, who didn't want me to tame my instincts."

"No, I want that," Reborn says quickly. "One hundred percent, please calm down. At least try to hide it better."

Fon shrugs carelessly. "I have begun meditating, but it does not seem to be working very well."

"Maybe focus on other things then," Reborn suggests. "I just met a Rain, you could beat each other up until you decide who the alpha is."

"I thought you already had a Rain?"

"I do," Reborn confirms. "But apparently he comes in a set. My fault for not reading the fine print, I suppose."

"Interesting," Fon laughs. "If you try to find another Storm, I will burn them."

Reborn nods along. "I expect nothing less from you. I suppose I got the fluffiest Cloud in history but a category five Storm."


	24. Introductions, please.

After Reborn and Fon finish their meal, Skull staggers through the door to the private room, two security guards and a waiter rushing after him.

"Reborn! Colonnello said you disappeared, and he got worried."

"Huh," Reborn muses. "Did he also tell you that his boss handcuffed me to her bed?"

Skull chokes a bit and coughs to clear this throat. "Well, no. That didn't come up in the conversation."

Reborn waves at the staff. "He's with me. Bring another chair."

Skull gets settled in, pressed right up against Reborn's side and sending Fon quick glances across the table. Reborn lifts his wine glass and Skull obediently sips but then makes a face. Skull only drinks sugary cocktails.

"Alright," Fon begins cautiously. "Are we...skipping the handcuff comment?"

"It was a kidnapping," Skull muses. "Is she our Mist then?"

"Rain, actually," Reborn corrects. "And Colonnello is perfectly fine with her joining him, not that anyone asked my opinion," he grumbles.

Fon tilts his head. "Can you have two of the same weather?"

"I hope not," Reborn answers dryly. "Because it'll probably hurt." He then properly introduces Fon to Skull, summarising that he ran away from Fon and ended up getting grabbed by Skull.

Fon makes an odd expression at that and then turns to smile at Skull. "Hello. I've been meaning to talk to you about our Guardian set but it appears I keep getting distracted."

"Uh. Sure." Skull shrugs. "What did you want to talk about?"

Fon begins to rattle off questions about how to care for Reborn, such as researching any clients the hitman meets for a contract, or keeping track of known enemies, and keeping contact with allies to build up connections.

Fon also asks about what family or famiglia he needs to meet to introduce himself, and how the collective Guardian missions are organised and allocated, plus how the group funds are invested.

Skull sits there, dazed, and doesn't even try to hide how he can't understand most of it.

Reborn refuses to do anything but glare and scoff because he's not a Sky and he doesn't have to deal with that bullshit, definitely doesn't need people to baby him. (Reborn has maybe been in denial about the Sky flame thing and is unprepared to be interrogated like this by someone who is taking the Guardian thing seriously.)

"Ah," Skull pauses. "Reborn can take care of himself?" Which has actually been proven on many occasions so Skull is pretty firm in this belief.

"That's very lackadaisical of you," Fon argues. "He has been kidnapped yet again today. People don't even know he is a Sky and they still try to kill him repeatedly or bring him into their famiglia just for his strength as a hitman. If it gets out about his flames, he will be taken away from us."

Skull looks at Reborn and the hitman is sipping his wine with a blank expression on his face, which means Fon is making a good point but Reborn doesn't want to admit it. Skull hunches his shoulders and starts to panic a little bit because he didn't know it was so serious.

"It's…" Skull trails off with a wince. "Let me call Colonnello."

"We don't need to-" Reborn begins but Skull is already ducking out of the room. "Make sure he doesn't bring that scary woman with him!"

Reborn then turns to Fon with a frown because that was a bit much for a first, unprepared meeting.

"Oh my," Fon sighs sadly. "He seems to think this is a game. How disappointed you must be."

Fon is maybe still upset about how the fight turned out.

"Stop that," Reborn snaps. "We don't do any of those things. It's just. A part-time Sky set. I don't want you involved in my business and we don't do group missions because we don't need money because _we are not a proper set_!"

"If you aren't a proper set, then you're a lone Sky, and you won't last long no matter how many you add to your body count," Fon cautions. "Yes, I am deliberately messing with the Cloud but we do need to sort these things out eventually."

Skull opens the door and sheepishly takes his seat again. "Colonnello is coming, he'll be twenty minutes." Skull turns to Reborn. "I thought we were protected because we bonded?"

"We'll stay together when they drag us into a famiglia," Reborn corrects. "Or they'll kill us both, or they'll kill only you and I'll be broken."

"What do you mean 'broken'?" Skull winces. "Like, why would they torture you and then have you lead a famiglia?"

"Maybe they don't want me to lead," Reborn points out. "Maybe they want an heir from me, or just have a trophy, or to sell to someone else." Reborn pours himself some of Fon's tea because he really should stop with the wine if they're having this conversation. "And I'll be broken because if you or Colonnello die, I will feel the bond rip and I'll be ripped apart with it."

"Die-!" Skull grips Reborn's elbow tightly and leans in. "What? Sorry, what? Is that what a bond is? A giant goddamned weakness that comes with handcuffs and a short fucking chain to share that bullshit around?"

"Yep," Reborn drawls but he does reach out and pet Skull's head because the stuntman honestly seems to be freaking out about this, which is a bit odd because of how easily Skull rolls with the other Mafia stuff.

Skull is thinking about himself dying in yet another stupid accident and leaving Reborn to get the backlash of the bond alone and _oh fuck_ he doesn't want to do this to Reborn.

Fon is frowning. "A bond is a risk. You could be a hundred times stronger as a set, or you could destroy each other. Bonding is not a split-second decision you make, it's a delicate balance of everyone working together. It's being soulmates for a lifetime."

Skull grabs the wine bottle.

Reborn sighs. "Hey, Fon, you want to know how long I waited before I bonded to Skull?"

"I would rather not know," Fon admits very seriously. "I thought you had met him before me. That you had years together."

"I knew Colonnello for a month," Reborn laughs carelessly. "And I knew I was fucking it up but I was dying and I didn't care anymore."

Fon's eyebrows furrow because he didn't know Reborn had been, what, sick?

Skull coughs at the burn of alcohol and shoves the wine bottle back into the ice bucket. "Okay. Okay, that was a surprise. But I don't regret what I did and I'd fucking do it again." Skull claps his hands together. "Let's plan!"

Verde opens the door, holding up a flat metal and glass screen that shows a live recording of the room. "No, you will sit there, and I will plan with Reborn." Verde takes out the earpiece he was using to listen to them and calls out to a passing waiter. "Get me a chair."

"The Lightning," Fon muses.

Reborn hums. "I met him while also running away from you."

Once Verde gets going, he really only ends up discussing with Fon because Reborn keeps rejecting all the ideas and Skull is very intently learning as he goes. Verde had planned out most things already and has been keeping track of Reborn's business just out of stalking tendencies.

Verde also brings up contacting the Triads on behalf of Reborn to negotiate Fon's work, plus setting a rule in place that Fon will immediately be kicked out as soon as he so much as bruises Reborn ever again.

"Outside of a spar," Reborn says quietly.

Verde frowns. "Outside of a spar, but still not over a reasonable degree."

"But what if we need to decide who's stronger in an all-out battle?" Reborn brings up. "How about we just make it 'malicious damage' towards any one of us?"

"I don't want you to be hurt at all," Verde argues. "Which is also why I made you this." Verde lifts a thick bracelet out of his pocket. "I'll be able to find you at all times while also being able to monitor-"

Reborn slaps the bracelet onto the floor. "That's not allowed! I'm making it a rule - none of that shit."

There's a polite knock on the door and then Lal abruptly shoves it open, Colonnello left in the entryway, fist still raised.

"I said not to bring her," Reborn protests. "But God, I miss you, Nello. It's been like twenty minutes on this topic and I already hate all of these people."

Skull rears back. "Even me?"

"You keep kicking me under the table!"

"I-I fidget when I get nervous..."

Fon clears his throat. "I have been well behaved today."

Lal frowns and tries to place this man with the stories Colonnello has told her. Probably the Storm. "You also attacked Reborn before, so it cancels out."

Reborn rolls his eyes. "She says, like a hypocrite."

"Technically," Fon begins. "All of us have attacked Reborn at one point or another, and truly it was a misunderstanding, so I feel no need to continue to bring this matter up."

"I haven't attacked him," Colonnello says smugly.

Verde scoffs. "You haven't known each other for very long, it's only a matter of time at this point."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reborn quickly realises that these people get along surprisingly well and it's horrible.


	25. Intermission.

Reborn is wandering down the dairy aisle with Skull beside him, the Cloud slumped over the handle of a shopping trolley and easily getting distracted by the pretty packaging.

There's an old woman holding a basket standing next to the section up ahead. Reborn automatically glances towards the almond milk brand next to her that Skull likes. Not because Skull is lactose intolerant, but because Skull likes the thought of drinking milked nuts.

Reborn lightly kicks Skull's trolley. "Quick, better hurry or that grandma will take everything."

"I'll just ram her."

There's no reply but when Skull looks over, Reborn is silently shaking with laughter.

* * *

A white cube robot rolls past Verde's desk, sliding over the ground easily with the small air holes on the base to allow movement like an air-hockey table. One side is flapped open, sweeping with a small broom.

Verde pushes his chair back to reach a hanging cable under the desk. The robot can't move in time and bumps into Verde's chair, whirls around in distress, then hits the table leg. Verde pauses and instead picks the robot up.

It pulls the broom in and the air flow stops as soon as it's picked up, obediently sitting in Verde's hand. Verde sets the cube on his desk, then places a black square on top of the robot to wirelessly connect it to the computer he's working at. He turns the robot's lights to blue, adding a voice file.

The robot spins around when he puts it back on the floor. It trips over a power cable and tips onto its front.

"Mother fucker!" the robot says in Colonnello's voice. "Who left this here?!"

The robot rolls over and zooms away, skimming another, larger robot and spinning out.

"I swear to God," Colonnello!robot begins. "You think you can take anti-tank bullets? Let's fucking test that."

Verde smirks and calls for another robot.

* * *

"I don't even carry knives," Reborn is saying in between nibbling at his muffin as he sits on a park bench and enjoys the cooling breeze. "She's always hated me, I'm not surprised I was the first one she pointed a finger at."

"But did you actually kill him?" Fon asks, sitting on the left with a half-eaten cookie in hand. Most of it eaten by Reborn.

"Well, yes, but not with a knife." Reborn huffs. "My argument still stands."

Fon hums. "Yes, how incredibly odd that she would blame you for something that you actually did. Wao. Someone needs to give her a reality check."

"Speaking of reality checks," Reborn muses, skipping straight past the heavy sarcasm emanating from Fon. "Do you think the COMSUBIN soldiers know that we can see them from this angle?"

Because Lal has been sending people to check up on him, and Reborn thinks it might be training for the recruits, but it's also probably to guard him as well which is rather insulting.

"Would you like me to talk with them?" Fon offers. He's always ready for a spar.

"Nah, I can scare them with some shots from here."

* * *

Skull wakes up with a jerk and almost falls out of his bed. The room is dark, the curtains drawn to block out the streetlights. Skull blinks a few times and huddles deeper in his blankets.

"Nightmare?" Verde asks.

Skull sticks an arm out of the blanket and after blindly failing around for a bit he finds the speaker/microphone set in the third drawer of his bedside table. He leaves the squat cylinder on his pillow and pulls his arm back in. "Where's Reborn?"

"Having a shower after the hit."

Skull makes a face.

"I don't have cameras in the bathroom anymore," Verde argues. "I heard Reborn tell Lal through the mic I planted on her."

Skull rolls over to face the device and his eyes droop with sleepiness. Verde connects the audio feeds and dials it up. Skull falls asleep to Lal rummaging through something and Reborn's faint voice in the background yelling at her to stay away from his gun safe.

* * *

Colonnello tilts his head, sitting opposite Reborn in an ice cream parlour with a huge glass between them. "Do you hear scribbling…? Oh. That man is drawing on the table."

Reborn licks his spoon and blinks because the apparently drawing man isn't facing Reborn so he can't tell. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Okay, so my next question is; can you see the man?"

"Colonnello, are you feeling okay?" Reborn asks solemnly.

* * *

Skull is holding onto the long train of fabric at the back of Fon's tunic, getting dragged along the sidewalk on his skateboard as Fon walks next to Lal.

The two men are just watching Lal get progressively more annoyed with the line of teen girls literally holding hands and blocking the whole path, walking slowly and bursting into giggles occasionally.

One girl stops so the whole line stops so Lal finally snaps.

"Would it physically pain you to move the fuck over?" Lal barks out.

The girls scatter like startled pigeons.

Skull exaggeratedly gasps. "Lal, don't bully the civilians!"

"I'll bully you in a second," Lal grumbles but reigns herself in.

"You know what?" Skull begins, puffing up. "I am emotionally fragile so it would be very effective."

Fon is reminiscing on his fight with the 'emotionally fragile' man. "Alright. Sure."

* * *

Reborn is staring intently at his mug. Verde leans over to look.

"I know you drugged it," Reborn complains. "But I also really want espresso."

"Tough decision," Verde muses. "Is coffee worth getting a kidney stolen?"

Reborn sips.

* * *

Fon perks up when he sees Colonnello coming downstairs with a duffel bag in hand. "Good morning."

Colonnello pauses because he came by Reborn's house to get some clothes he left a while ago and no one is supposed to be in here. "Do you…have a key? Who let you in?"

Fon lightly chuckles and avoids the question. "Would you like to spar with me?"

Colonnello opens his mouth, close it and then tries again. "Sorry, the wind is too loud, I can't hear you." Colonnello starts backing away towards the front door and raises his voice as if trying to speak over something. "Like I can't – I can't hear you. You're gonna have to speak up."

Fon looks around the closed, silent room.

"Uh, there's like a ringing in my ear," Colonnello hedges, switching excuses rather abruptly, one hand holding the duffel bag, the other flailing until he grabs the door handle. "Might have tinnitus or something. Anyway, I gotta go."

Colonnello slams the door shut after him and Fon purses his lips. One day Fon will get a fight.

* * *

Skull takes another brownie from the dish in the middle of the table, the last one, which means Reborn tries to snatch it out of his hand just on principal. Skull slides out of his chair but Colonnello is waiting for him under the table and when Skull kicks out, Fon catches his leg and they both go down.

Skull stuffs the brownie into his mouth and Verde's arm catches him across the stomach hard enough that he spits it back out. It lands on the floor in front of Lal, who raises an eyebrow at them.

Skull only laughs. "What, are you going to eat it now? I dare you."

Colonnello has never backed down from a dare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Which was your favourite piece? I like the brownie one because Skull apparently does it enough that the others have a system in place.


	26. Shithead energy - looking at you, Viper.

The invitation Reborn finds on his doorstep very specifically states; _To Sky Reborn_. It then names Skull and Colonnello as the Cloud and Rain. That emphasis means they know who Reborn has been with, that they're watching him. It's a threat.

The Sfondo is a higher-ranked famiglia with an heir -a Storm- so they'd still vie for a Sky as a trophy. The group is in a mid-range, invited to all the major events but still unable to compete with the big boys like the Vongola.

It's right in that gap, between the smaller famiglias who aren't strong enough to keep a Sky, and the larger famiglias who already have one or who are wary of Reborn overshadowing current blood heirs.

It's that Mist, Reborn realises. That Mist is selling Reborn and he hopes they're at least getting a good price for him.

Reborn was having fun at first. Reborn ran around dismantling a network and it was fun for him, he didn't care that he was killing people for free because it was interesting - like a little mystery for him to solve.

The Mist has only just started playing along too; leaving hints and taunts with the people Reborn questions. Reborn even went on a cute treasure hunt of body parts one day.

Reborn had no warning about this invitation. It didn't seem like the Mist was getting upset or tired of their games, but maybe Reborn wasn't paying enough attention? He read their interactions wrong? He thought they had a system going; he killed people for free and the Mist willingly lost contacts to give him some entertainment.

Reborn is still staring down at the letter, trying to discern anything from the card, the handwriting, the pen ink.

He needs Fon. It's not about strength because Reborn is strong - Italy's streets will run red before he lets someone lay a finger on his friends. But Fon is Chinese Triad, he uses a different system and this famiglia have to tiptoe their way around that. It would give Reborn time.

What Reborn is most worried about is how the Sfondo might use some bullshit tradition to con him into joining their subpar posse because Reborn is so much better than a middling, mediocre background famiglia but if the Vindice get involved on a technicality...

Reborn could also use COMSUBIN. Colonnello is lower recruit, doesn't count for much, but he's still military and can't be dragged in without a fight. Lal is high-tier COMSUBIN? But Lal is also insane.

All of Reborn's potentials are insane though so Reborn probably needs someone intelligent. Maybe he should get Verde to go with him.

Maybe he should get…all of them?

God no, is Reborn's first instinct. But everyone showing up means his Guardian slots are basically filled. And he would have a Triad, two special ops military, plus Verde is solidly neutral because he invents for who pays more and famiglias would fight over that.

Even Skull can say he's Interpol and freak everyone out. (Actually, Skull is genuinely Interpol because they got him a badge last week and Reborn really needs to stop stalling and actually deal with that whole situation - but he probably won't.)

Honestly the whole Mafia would be too confused with these ridiculous Guardians to mess with Reborn. And imagine the first person to challenge Fon. Imagine if it's a Storm.

Imagine all of Reborn's Guardians combining their shithead energy together and Reborn being the one to direct them at his enemies.

Now that's a dangerous thought.

* * *

Viper ends up standing outside Reborn's place without consciously deciding to visit.

But it is lunch time, plus Reborn's taste in food is an exact match for Viper and the hitman is an amazing cook. Viper stole a bite last week from Verde's lunch after breaking into the scientist's lab to get a progress report on an invention.

Viper has been craving more of Reborn's food and also knows that since Colonnello is busy with COMSUBIN lately, that means there are probably leftovers in the fridge. Unless Fon dropped by and cleaned out the place with his stupid muscle-head metabolism.

Viper unlocks the front door with the key Colonnello 'lost' about a month ago and uses their ESPer power to just float up near the ceiling and skim over all the furniture on a straight shot to the kitchen. Admittedly, there has been a few close calls with Verde but Viper has gotten very good at tricking cameras lately.

They rummage through the fridge for leftovers and just toss the whole plastic container into the microwave, then steal some of Lal's yummy strawberry protein power and shakes it up with milk to make a drink. No one ever notices Viper's snacking because they all blame each other for missing stuff.

Which is really very negligent and these people should be keeping track of their stock properly. If Viper was Reborn's Mist, then…

Well, whatever.

Viper searches for a fork in all of the drawers because Skull keeps moving shit around. They open a larger drawer down the bottom and find the paper shredder. They leave that pulled out and dig through the next drawer to finally grab a fork.

As they move towards the table for a seat, they use Mist flames to pull out the shredded paper and start sticking it back together. Of course they go through this rubbish, because they're nosy. This is how Viper built their empire at the start, just small secrets that people didn't think to bury deep enough.

They sit at the table and eat while going through the pile; A rejected hit contract for some foreign drug lord. A bill (and Reborn really needs to change energy providers because Viper can get him a deal that's two-point-four percent lower per annum). Some scraps. Then a ticket to Skull's stunt show – wait, why was that shredded? Reborn, how rude.

Viper seals the ticket back together and tucks it into a pocket. Viper will go see Skull. Might even take a peek at the man's contract because they do not pay Skull enough for the kind of idiotic things he throws himself head-first into.

Next is what looks to be a half-written letter from Reborn to Lal; asking her to stop leaving flames all over everything, as if she's marking her territory, because it makes Reborn think that she feels like home and _ohmygod Lal you're doing it on purpose-! _Another hit contract for some boring civilian political rival. An invitation comes out too.

Viper brings the invitation closer and reads it with a frown. In fact, they've been very proactive in shielding Reborn from anyone figuring out he's a Sky because the hitman is not subtle - or at least his Guardian's aren't. Honestly, if Reborn gets tucked into a basement somewhere then Viper lose a great resource – a hitman like Reborn, killing people for free? It's a steal! Viper isn't giving that up.

So how the hell did a basic bitch famiglia like the Sfondo get past Viper's control?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> None of the Arcobaleno have even met Viper, but the Mist has had several arguments with them about financial security and the pros of stock exchange.
> 
> But actually, Viper has deluded themself into pretending they're friends with the others. Except Viper is in denial about the friendship because they don't need friends when they have money. (Viper is a very confusing individual.)


	27. That's not yours, Viper.

Viper is lazing in the large swivel chair of one of the smaller Sfondo offices, feet propped up on the dark wood desk and ankles crossed.

The other Mist smiles, flat and hollow, having just stepped through the door with a Rain at his side. "Viper, I didn't realise we had a meeting planned."

"Must have slipped your mind," Viper sneers and their eyes flicker to the other Guardian. "Put that gun down, you're a fucking Rain, what can you do?"

Because maybe Viper is a flame elitist. Mist, Cloud and Lightning - in that order and everyone else is support. Reborn and those other freaks are the exception, not the rule.

The Rain narrows his eyes and his trigger finger twitches. The real Viper is sitting on the windowsill off to the side, so the Rain can shoot and Viper will laugh this bitch out of the damned window and down three storeys.

Matteo sighs and moves further into the room, wearing a fancy suit instead of his usual leather jacket and jeans. Curly blond hair rings his head like a halo and a stack of files fly through the air after him with Mist flames. He looks straight at Viper's real body.

Viper inhales through their clenched teeth. "Matteo. I didn't know you hopped on Don Sfondo's dick, we should celebrate you moving up in the world."

Matteo just laughs. "And how about you, have you caught that handsome Sky you've been panting after?" Matteo widens his eyes in surprise. "Oh, wait a second, I'm the one who caught him. Maybe pick up the pace next time, yeah?"

Viper grimaces. "Reborn would eat you alive."

Sure, Viper doesn't want Reborn, but having a Sky is still a good thing - it's a sign of power and wealth and elitism so Matteo is not taking Reborn.

Matteo rolls his eyes. "And what are you going to do about it? You have secrets and lies and shit else."

The illusionary Viper drops their feet off the table and stands, while the real body begins to float. "You are not taking my-"

"He's not yours," Matteo snaps. "Show me a bond! Viper, you're an informant with no backing, you can do nothing because you are nothing." Matteo gestures at the door. "Be grateful I'm even humouring you now and _leave_."

Viper's fingers twitch and Mist flames swell under their skin. Viper's strength lies in something less confrontational but the Sfondo aren't big enough to even get an opportunity at the dirtier businesses, while petty adultering or stealing won't be enough blackmail to force a hand. Viper could try to manipulate the Don's mind but that kind of thing never sticks for long.

"Fine," Viper mutters. "Go ahead, see how fast those people smear you across the walls."

* * *

A hit takes Reborn pretty far out of the city centre and after he gets that ticked off his list, he finds himself only twenty minutes out from Verde's main laboratory.

He debates knocking on the door and explaining the invitation because Reborn does need someone to bounce ideas off and Verde is very good finding plot holes. However, he pauses at the pedestrian walk and while waiting for the lights, he notices the speed camera turn to him.

Reborn chickens out and ducks into a diner after crossing the street. Verde shows up anyway and they have a nice lunch together but Reborn can't bring himself to explain anything. Verde would misunderstand.

Reborn heads home and halfway back he contemplates waiting in a restroom because look, Fon doesn't have a phone and Reborn doesn't know where the man lives so this is his only option to get in contact. Reborn thinks about it but doesn't because he's not that desperate yet, thanks.

So Reborn gets home and sits down to plan out his introduction as Sky - mainly whether he wants to own it and scare people into submission or deny everything and claim he's only a Sun.

If he does claim he's a Sky, people will expect things from him. Some people want to take charge and lead others, and that's fine, but it sounds awful to Reborn, who really just wants to do whatever he feels like without needing to warn people or ask for permission.

Colonnello once asked Reborn to check in with him before the more dangerous hits as a safety precaution, and Reborn did try, but even that was suffocating so he put a stop to it very quickly.

Reborn ends up pulling out his phone to call Skull because the man's thought process is a bit skewed, and if Reborn wants to make his arguments air-tight, he needs someone to come at him from odd angles.

Reborn sips espresso while it rings and after a long time the call finally connects.

"Not right now!" Skull yells in a rush before Reborn can even open his mouth, muffled under all the rushing wind. "Oh my God, there's like an actual evil mastermind set up in Sweden. Like he has a -_ohfuckme_\- a ray gun, you would love it here, I'll try and bring one back for Verde."

Reborn inhales. "Skull. We need to talk about your Interpol adventures, and I also need the name of whichever dumbass is letting you have free reign like this."

"It's not Interpol," Skull admits shyly. "I was in the area for -_shitwatchit_\- for a circus gig, saw a gun fight, wanted to play too."

Reborn rolls his eyes. "Have fun? Don't die."

"Babe, you'll never be free of me," Skull laughs. "Kisses!"

Reborn hangs up. Whatever, Skull is an adult, he can make his own decisions.

Reborn tries calling both Colonnello and then Lal next, but the automated voice says the numbers can't be reached, so they might be on a mission. Reborn taps on Colonnello's bond to make sure he's okay and the reply comes quickly in Morse code.

**TANKBOOMLOL**

Yeah, Colonnello is fine.

Reborn tosses and turns that night in bed before giving up on sleeping and goes through his weapons cache instead. When it finally hits a decent hour and sunlight is streaming through his windows, he's lying on his dining table surrounded by assault firearms and enough ammo to wipe out a small country arranged neatly over every spare centimetre of floor space.

Reborn runs a hand down his face and finally admits that he's panicking just a little bit. He thinks he needs to talk to someone to calm down but Reborn doesn't want the others to see him...like this.

It would be nice though, to have at least one person backing him up during the meeting, at least waiting outside if Reborn's rejection doesn't go over well and he gets dragged into a basement somewhere. It would give him more options, a little bit of leeway.

Not that he needs help or anything.


	28. Inversely proportional.

Reborn is halfway to the Sfondo famiglia's manor and is crossing a platform to switch trains. He gets into the next one, idling with its doors open until it needs to leave, and finds a seat by the window.

The famiglia is quite far out into the countryside so he settles down to wait, watching people walk along the platform through his window.

Verde is standing in front of a pillar, trying to read the train map plastered over it and occasionally looking down into a fancy screen he's holding to try and match the data.

Reborn tells himself that he shouldn't encourage this but he still gets up and sticks his head out of the open doors. "Verde!"

Verde looks over and pockets the device, walking up to Reborn. "The signal got lost because you're too far underground. I was trying to predict where you might switch train lines to."

Reborn begins to ask how long Verde has been following him but instead blurts out, "Am I weak?"

It's been bothering him, these past few days. Reborn doesn't really need any backup. He'll go in, reject the offer, get out. Easy.

Because he's going to be the world's greatest hitman one day, he doesn't need these people. So why did he automatically look for them as soon as he encountered trouble?

Verde's eyebrows drag together when he sees Reborn's expression shutter into something cold and blank. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Reborn offers up a wry smile. "Go home, I don't have time for you today, I have a meeting."

"You called for me," Verde muses. "Is that why you think you're weak? Because you wanted me to follow you to wherever this train will take you?"

Reborn narrows his eyes. "I'm not weak."

"If you know that, then why are you asking me?"

Reborn rubs his fingers against the soft material of his pants. He checks the time, a huge clock on the platform. The train should leave in five minutes. "Why do I want help?"

"Interesting choice of words," Verde sighs. He crosses his arms over his chest. "You don't need, you simply want. So you understand perfectly well that you can go on without help, but it would be comforting to have it nonetheless."

Reborn looks away with a frown. "It's fine, I'm being stupid."

"It's not a weakness to have friends loyal to you. To have someone who would fight with you," Verde points out. "Strength, independence - these things are not inversely proportional to the amount of people who love you."

Reborn hesitates. "I can do it by myself."

Verde peers down at him. "If you would like that. But you don't have to."

"I'm…" Reborn pauses. "You have to wait outside. I need to be dramatic."

"Aren't you always?"

"Don't push your luck, Franken fuck."

* * *

Reborn parts ways with Verde about twenty minutes out from the big iron gates. The famiglia has rolled out the red carpet to greet him politely and sends beautiful maids and handsome butlers as a distraction. Reborn does see the guards, the main power of the famiglia, hanging around the edges and watching him.

They lead him to a comfortable room bathed in hues of pale orange and Reborn is not impressed by the overdone colour scheme. Yes, Sky flames are orange, wow, how incredible – does not look good as wallpaper.

They make him wait because of course they do; they need to prove who's in control. In a famiglia like this, Reborn would be a figurehead. He's desired but more like an expensive painting.

Honestly, he'd kill them all if he was feeling any more annoyed. Yes, they do have many allies and are firmly entrenched in Mafia politics but Reborn could just off a few key higher ups to cripple them and they'd be too busy scrambling to keep themselves together to bother him.

People would think it's to boost his reputation and most would applaud the audacity. Might even thank him when they engulf the headless famiglia in the sudden power vacuum that comes after.

But Reborn is restricted because Skull is very bad at dodging bullets, and Colonnello is just starting to move up in COMSUBIN, and Verde looks so weak and flimsy because he hides away in his laboratory most of the time, plus Fon and Lal are…Fon and Lal would probably have fun with it but they don't count.

So Reborn could go in guns blazing but he has people now. He needs to think about consequences, how to protect them.

God knows those idiots would probably dive head first into some stupid and definitely violent plan if they ever found out about this.

* * *

Fifteen minutes after they get Verde's message, Colonnello rushes down the stairs with a duffel bag of guns and ammo slung over a shoulder and Lal right behind him. He burst out through the open doorway to see Verde's weird car open for them. Colonnello throws his duffel towards the back and the top of the boot retracts to catch the bag before sliding shut again.

Lal gets in and Colonnello ducks after her. Even before the door closes, Skull has floored it and the vehicle lurches forward.

Lal very quickly puts on her seatbelt but still snaps out, "Someone tried to _sell Reborn_?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reborn is still young so he hasn't built up the ego and the confidence. He's also in a tricky situation so he second guesses himself.


	29. You and what army? (mthrfking COMSUBIN btch)

Reborn doesn't drink or eat anything the veritable parade of waitresses offer him. Reborn checks his watch and it's been fifteen minutes. He stands and leaves the room, ignoring the people trying to stall him.

As predicted, the Don and his Storm heir meet Reborn at the entranceway right before he manages to leave.

"Dear Reborn-"

"This is a joke," Reborn interrupts. "I agreed to meet you out of good faith and then you make me wait while your entire staff performs some kind of half-hearted circus act."

The Don keeps his face neutral, but his Storm son twitches a bit before controlling himself.

The Don turns to the staff waiting obediently off to the side, putting on a disappointed expression. "How is it that our important guest has only just arrived, yet you have already upset him?"

Reborn continues walking towards the door. He can use this treatment as an excuse to leave, they wouldn't try to physically stop him while negotiation is still possible.

Reborn's next step lands on something small and soft. He twists, stepping to the side and looking down. A little red tulip pokes out from the polished flooring, half crushed but still growing steadily and unbending as it reaches up.

Flowers begin to sprout across the floor of the foyer, an assortment of shapes and colours, following the path Reborn had taken from the waiting room he was led to. More burst to life right under his feet, nudging his shoes and leaning into his legs. The chandelier above him blooms with delicate glass roses.

The illusion shatters.

Different Mist flames surge over the room and Viper bleeds into reality beside Reborn. "How original, courting with flowers," they sneer.

Reborn raises an eyebrow at the floating Viper next to him. "Hello?"

Viper leans in towards him. "You don't want to be here, I don't want to be here. Let's leave first and then talk."

"I'm here because of you."

"What? No, it's a misunderstanding but listen-"

Another Mist, the one who created those flowers, steps out to the top landing of the stairs, looking down with a smirk. "You've crawled back again, Viper. Don't get involved in business that doesn't concern you."

"I've decided to get myself a Sky, and oh look, I've found one," Viper says easily, gesturing at Reborn.

Reborn hums with pursed lips. "You all have fun without me, I'm done for today."

The Don speaks up, sounding calm and sympathetic even when he slides a narrow-eyed glance towards Viper. "You've done good work for me before, Reborn, so I've gone out of my way to keep you a secret. But if you don't bond with my son, there's not much more I can do to keep you safe from the others."

"Oh?" Reborn muses. "Do you think I need protection?"

"From those that would hurt you, yes," the Sfondo Don says gravely. "You aren't bonded to all your weathers so people will fight for the empty space. It is cruel but tradition dictates any winning challenger gets a place at your side, regardless of what you want."

Because Reborn is unbonded to Verde, another Lightning can challenge Reborn's 'favoured' to prove they're a better Guardian, and if they win then Reborn has to take them in. However, Reborn can also fight in Verde's place, so Reborn isn't concerned at all. He's going to be the world's greatest someday; no one will get past him.

The Don folds his hands in front of him and shakes his head. "There are very bad famiglias out there and if you get stuck with one as a Guardian, I won't be able to help you."

Reborn takes a breath to steady himself. "I wasn't trying very hard to hide myself, so you're not special, and you don't have an advantage over me."

Which is a lie but Reborn has always been a very good liar.

"Do you think you can throw a tantrum and have your way?" the Don points out. "You may be a Sky but even you must follow the rules."

"I am a freelance hitman, a Sun," Reborn brags. "Let's not overestimate your power here, but even if the entirety of Italy wanted to strangle me because of you, I have the rest of the world to play with."

"I wouldn't do anything; the Vindice enforces-"

"China would welcome you," Fon cuts in from right beside the Don's son, one hand resting on the man's shoulder.

There is a brief pause because when did Fon get there...?

The Don's son twists away, arm coming up to elbow Fon but the martial artist just tightens his grip, shakes the man and smiles while the poor heir realises just how impossible it is to fight a Monster. Famiglia guards immediately step out into the open.

"Are these people bothering you, Reborn?" Fon muses.

"Not at all," Reborn says quickly because he doesn't know if he can fight off a famiglia of this size all at once, when they inevitably retaliate after Fon blatantly kills the heir.

There's a sudden loud screeching of car tires from outside, some shouting and then Colonnello bursts through the front doors, looking a bit wind-swept. Lal follows soon after and has that wild-eyed look of someone faced with Skull's driving for the first time.

"Ah," Lal says, recovering swiftly. "Good job, Fon. Now we have a hostage."

Reborn is torn between either laughing or crying. "Why are you here?" he complains quietly to the two soldiers standing next to him. "And go outside, I have things under control. I was literally about to leave."

"Wait in the car, I'll deal with this," Lal orders, completely ignoring Reborn.

The Don looks from Lal's uniform to Colonnello's almost identical one, bland expression finally breaking into something a lot like confused frustration. "You're military."

"Who are you going to tell?" Colonnello laughs. "Call the police, say the special ops is bullying the Mafia!"

Reborn rolls his eyes because fine, he's a hypocrite, but do these people know what the word 'moderation' means?! Let Reborn get the World's Greatest title first before they get him kicked out the fucking Mafia for having warmongering, law enforcement Guardians.

"Don Sfondo," Reborn begins earnestly. "I apologise, my Guardians are very new and want to prove themselves through unnecessary, holistic, and enthusiastic violence. This is so embarrassing for me - they have no self-control. I mean last time, Fon punched his fist straight through someone's chest and it was awfully messy."

Fon's smile grows wider because he's actually done that before -just to see if he could- and the memory is quite a happy one. The trapped heir is looking a bit faint.

The Don doesn't take much time to think about the threat because he is a logical man and pushing the issue right now isn't worth it. All of Reborn's people are very serious about fucking up this famiglia for even attempting to mess with them and it shows in their expressions.

None of them have the best sense of consequences or self-restraint, more likely to throw themselves in head-first and fight their way out later. So Lal will genuinely call in COMSUBIN and Colonnello will happily help out. Skull already asked on the car ride over if he should call the police and Fon honestly wouldn't mind just killing everyone.

The Don smiles wryly. "Lovely meeting you again."

"I wish I could say the same," Reborn says, ushering people out.


	30. Should have seen that coming.

Reborn starts pushing Colonnello's shoulder to lead him outside, and thankfully the others follow. In the large driveway that circles a huge fountain, Verde is standing next to one of his fancy high-tech cars and Skull is in the driver's seat. There's a huge radius of people standing around, holding guns but waiting for a signal from the Don before they take action.

Verde holds up his hands. "I made one perfectly clear phone call to explain the situation and they all panicked."

"Why would you ever tell these people anything?" Reborn complains as he shoves Colonnello into the back seat. "By the way, you're all useless and have awful timing."

Fon chuckles softly and Reborn shoves him into the car as well. The car that is now somehow expanding.

Lal crosses her arms. "Do you really think you would have walked out of there without us backing you up?"

"Yes." Reborn shoves her in too. "I had it handled. You are all adults, calm down and think instead of throwing yourself in head-first with only testosterone backing you up. Or whatever the hell you have, Lal."

Reborn glares until Verde gets into the car before sliding in himself. He slams the door shut and Skull pulls away. No one tries to stop them which is great but also Reborn needs to gets this stress out somehow so maybe a fight would be nice.

Actually, he just really needs a nap.

The country side passes by in a blur, because Skull really doesn't understand the concept of speed limits. The back of the front seats have grown another row of chairs to fit everyone, so Fon and Lal are facing Reborn and Colonnello respectively.

The others quietly discuss tactics for wiping out an entire famiglia, for the next this inevitably happens. No one can quite decide on taking hostages or outright massacre, so their voices gradually grow louder as the argument progresses.

"Why don't we make friends with them?" Skull chimes in, looking at them through the rear-view mirror. "And then Reborn can do the Sky thing and then we have minions."

Everyone contemplates this.

Reborn steps on Fon's foot and sighs. "Okay, backtrack a bit here. We're lucky we ran up against the Sfondo first. They're politically inclined so they have contacts and money but not much else in the way of firepower. There's the still the threat of them spreading information on us though."

Fon bounces his foot, and that shakes Reborn's. "I'm going to be honest; it would have been difficult for us to hide it, even if the Sfondo hadn't come into the picture."

Colonnello offers up a sympathetic look. "The good news is that they're unlikely to spread that information considering how passive the Sfondo are right now."

"Colonnello's right; they could have tried to stop us but they let go too easily," Viper points out. "I think there might be something more to it."

Everyone slowly turns to look at the Mist, sitting in between Fon and Lal.

Reborn blinks. "When did you get into the car?"

"When you were bitching about Lal being too manly for you," Viper reminds the hitman. "I'm not sticking around to get murdered by a whole famiglia. If they think I'm with you, I'll get less trouble."

Reborn hums. "I'm thinking about shooting you. Or throwing you out and having Skull run you over."

"Is killing the only thing you people can do?" Viper mocks. "You don't even try to control your Guardians, I see you smirking when they do dumb, chaotic shit. Back there, you were genuinely thinking about razing that place to the ground as some sick form of bonding time."

Verde turns around in the front passenger seat. "Before we get into the psychology of a hitman, we'll need to deal with the roadblock waiting for us."

He holds up the flat screen and everyone sees a drone shot with a line of huge off-road 4WDs, absolutely massive cars with giant bull-bars on the front and huge wheels, lined up across the quiet country road, bordered either side by fenced off farmland.

People are outside the cars, standing behind open doors as shields and holding guns in resting positions. Not threateningly but definitely gearing up for a fight.

"Skull, ram them," Reborn orders.

"Okay!" Skull chirps and stomps down on the accelerator.

Colonnello instinctively braces himself along with most of the other occupants. "Correct me if I'm wrong but I...don't think this car is built for playing tag?"

"If it isn't, we're not trying hard enough," Skull says solemnly, currently going two hundred an hour and climbing.

"Let me get out of the car first and then you can play," Colonnello negotiates.

Viper tsks at them because now isn't the time for jokes (Colonnello was not joking). "My best guess is the Sfondo set up this 'greater threat' to drive you back to them. They can play hero and you'd be grateful enough to at least negotiate. That's what I would have done at least."

Lal already know what she would do but she's trying to involve others because this isn't COMSUBIN and she's not their boss. Lal turns to Reborn for a decision. "At this point the information is out no matter what we do. You want to play nice, or show them how fast you can empty your pretty fifteen-round handgun?"

Reborn raises a hand to the shoulder holster under his suit. "My gun _is_ very pretty," he muses.

Skull seems rather sad when he has to slow down and eventually stop because he really did want to ram them.

The roadblock seems to be made of only one famiglia, and Viper mutters that it's a smaller, more protection-fee based one operating out of northern Italy. Basically, a disposable minion for the Sfondo, and therefore no one is going to throw a tantrum if these people never make it back.

Reborn gets out of the car, soon followed by the rest, and unholsters his gun. He gets some wary stares but the general consensus from the famiglia is that they have the upper hand over Reborn because this is a civilised ambush.

Colonnello moves around to the trunk and pops it open, retrieving his two-metre-long anti-tank rifle. The people standing behind car doors for protection start looking very nervous. Bullet-proof is a weak reassurance when facing off against something like Colonnello's beast of a gun.

"Reborn," the leader greets easily. Definitely not the Don, who is smart enough not to be in range of a hitman's bullets. This is probably a right-hand man. "We've come to challenge for your Guardian positions."

Skull starts laughing and Lal hushes him but also has an amused expression on her face.

The right-hand man glances over the Guardians when he hears the giggle and raises an eyebrow. "If you attack the challengers outside of an arranged fight then you'll be freezing in Vendicare for breaking tradition."

Reborn smirks. "So I'll just kill the audience instead. That's not against the rules, right?"

The man huffs dismissively. "Bring out your Lightning."

Viper frowns. "You have a Sky boss, why are you bothering with this?"

"Yeah, we have one, but she wants a husband," the right-hand man says like that's a perfectly valid reason.

Reborn is a little smug. He is very handsome, it's not surprising. Fon bumps him with a sleeve when Reborn starts preening too noticeably.

The other Lightning steps up, an older woman in a severe looking pencil skirt and blazer. She pulls a solid cylinder of metal out of her suit jacket and with a swing of her arm, it snaps out into a full-length police baton and lights up in crackling green energy.

She smiles, a bland pleasantry. "Shall you go first, or should I?"

Verde pulls out a little remote control from the pocket of his lab coat and pushes a button. The vacated limo-car jerks forward, rams the woman, and she goes flying over the famiglia roadblock before splattering on the ground.

A laugh is startled out of Reborn.


End file.
